Cheese Ball Christmas Tree

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened cream cheese
• ⅓ cup finely chopped green olives
• ⅓ cup finely chopped black olives
• ¼ cup finely chopped jalapenos
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• Approx 1 foot long cling film sheet
• 10-12 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• ¼ cup pitted green olives, sliced into roundels
• ⅓ cup pitted black olives, sliced into roundels
• ¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Cheddar cheese, cut as a star
• 2 cups or packets of crackers

Steps

1. Take all the ingredients for Christmas tree in a bowl & combine them well.
2. Lay out a piece of cling film on a flat surface & transfer the cheese mixture on it.
3. Using the support of cling film, shape the cheese mixture into a cone shape to look like a christmas tree. This has to be done a bit gently as the cheese is soft.
4. Chill it wrapped in the cling film for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator till it becomes firm.
5. Half an hour before serving, unwrap the cheese tree, discard the cling wrap and place it gently on the serving platter.
6. Insert the rosemary springs into the cheese cone in any random pattern.
7. place the cherry tomatoes halves, green & black olives around the surface of the cheese cone and gently press them so they do not fall out.
8. Place the cheese star at the top of the cheese tree.
9. Place crackers around the cheese tree & serve.