Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Beehive

Goat cheese, roasted garlic and honey are a holy triumvirate in the food world - you’ve got creamy, tangy, salty, sweet, sticky and gooey all together in harmony. Plus, this thing is an absolute showstopper. Just look at it.

5 lbs whole heads garlic, unpeeled (that’s not a mistake: you need a lot of garlic)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2.2 lbs fresh goat cheese (1 kg)
pure honey, warmed, for drizzling

To Serve:
crostini, crackers or crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Spread out the garlic on a baking sheet/tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes, or until deep, golden brown with burn spots here and there. Being careful not to burn your fingers, give the garlic heads a pinch. They should be very soft.

Let cool to room temperature and then cut each head in half horizontally with a serrated bread knife. Squeeze the roasted garlic pulp into a bowl, removing any garlic peels that may fall into the bowl. Mix the garlic pulp with a whisk until smooth.

Line a 1 qt bowl with cheesecloth/muslin with plenty of overhang. Bring the goat cheese to room temperature.

Using clean and slightly damp hands, press a small amount of the cheese into the cloth-lined bowl. It should be a layer about 1" thick. This will be the top of the beehive. Add enough garlic puree to make a layer about 1" thick; repeat with the goat cheese, forming it into a disc 1" thick and of the same circumference of the mold. Continue with the alternating layers of goat cheese and garlic, ending with the cheese. Cover with the overhanging cheesecloth/muslin and refrigerate overnight.

An hour or so before serving, peel back the cheese­cloth/muslin. Place a cake stand upside down on the bowl and then invert the two together. Remove the bowl and peel off the cheesecloth/muslin to reveal the beehive. Any cracks in the goat cheese can be smoothed with a wet finger or spatula. Drizzle the beehive with honey to complete the theme and balance the aromatic garlic.

Serve with crostini, crackers or plenty of crusty bread.

Makes 15-20 servings.