Smoked Havarti Phyllo Spinach Bundles

Now that it is a new year, many of you, like me, may still be hosting or attending the occasional party. Arla Dofino Havarti contacted me to try out some of their havarti cheeses and to create a recipe. I'm not sure about you but I love appetizers and for some reason I am in love with spinach dip! So in creating a recipe to use the havarti cheeses I decided combine my love of spinach dip and appetizers together. Add in some smoked havarti to the mix and your appetizers will truly be the hit of the party! 

The Arla Dofino Havarti line has 5 different flavours - Jalapeño, Creamy, Dill, Herbs & Spices and Smoked.  You can find it at most stores here in Canada and they come in various sizes. Smaller blocks for a cheese board or big cylinder ones to use for lunches and other recipes.

Smoked Havarti Phyllo Spinach Bundles 

You only need a few ingredients to make this recipe, some patience with those slightly finicky phyllo pastry sheets and the Smoked Havarti from the Arla Dofino line.

Ingredients

• 1 block (250g) Cream Cheese
• 150g Frozen Spinach 
• 120g Smoked Havarti
• 1/2 cup Melted butter (more might be needed)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grate the smoked havarti and set aside.
   
2. Whip the cream cheese with the whip attachment in a stand-up mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the frozen spinach. It will look a bit wet but that is okay.
   
   
3. Take the bowl off and gently mix in the smoked havarti. Then, wrap the bowl and place in the fridge until you are ready to make the phyllo bundles.
   
4. Butter muffin tins with butter. Then, gently unroll the phyllo pastry from its packaging. Using scissors cut 5.5 by 5.5 inch squares (The phyllo pastry sheets that we used were 17.5 by 13 inches in size before we cut). Stack 5 squares together.
   
   
   
5. Melt the butter. Using a brush gently brush each square with the melted butter. Ensure you get the edges as well. You don't need to soak the phyllo square with butter but you will need enough to have them stick together.
   
6. Once you have a stack of 5 squares together, gently press them into a muffin tin.
   
7. Spoon about 2 teaspoons into the bundle. They should be about half full. The mixture will expand as it bakes.
   
8. You can choose to bake them open or as a bundle. To make a bundle, gently squeeze the edges of the phyllo pastry together.
   
   
   
   
9. Finish making the rest of the smoked havarti phyllo spinach bundles and bake them at 375F for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown.
   
   

The end result:

I am super happy with how these turned out. As you bite into the bundle you get a hit of creaminess from the cream cheese and spinach mixture ending with smoky cheese. Then add in some crisp from the phyllo pastry and it is so good! We actually brought these with us to visit our friends who just had a baby (also a great way to move food we test and create out of our place) and they loved them! One thought that we had used bacon in them!

Now, the exciting part of the post is that Arla Dofino wants you to try these cheeses for yourself! Using the rafflecopter, enter the giveaway for $25 in cheese vouchers, a gorgeous bamboo cheese board, and six porcelain cheese markers with an erasable pen.

Mandatory Entry (+3): To enter, leave me a comment below about what is your favourite way to eat havarti! Please leave a valid email address in the Rafflecopter widget as this is how I will be contacting you regarding details of the prize. You must leave a comment (in the disqus widget) matching your rafflecopter name or your entry will be disqualified. Winner must answer a skill testing question before receiving the prize. Sorry, this contest is only for Canadian residents. Use the Rafflecopter widget to help track your mandatory entry and to also get additional entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for more cheese recipes?

Try these delicious Raspberry Balsamic Blue Cheese Hand Pies! The pastry in these hand pies make them so good and are perfect for hand held desserts.

Hasselback Potatoes - Looking for another way to make potatoes? Then jazz up your potatoes and try making these hasselback potatoes!

Also, if you missed my 2016 Food Resolutions take a peek about what I plan on creating and making in 2016.