Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves with Cream Cheese Chutney Roulade and Candied Curried Pecans

Per Megan's request, here is the recipe for my mom's candied curried pecans. And I’m including the entire recipe for blue cheese shortbread cookies with cream cheese chutney roulade because it’s one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had! The pecans are just an extra bonus to go along with all this deliciousness. (Sorry I don’t have a picture, I was too busy eating!)

Candied Curried Pecans

Makes about 3 cups

1 ½ t. onion powder
1 ½ t. garlic powder
1 ¼ t. coarse kosher salt
¾ t. curry powder
¼ t. cayenne pepper

2 T. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 T. honey
3 c. pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Mix onion and garlic powder, 1 t. salt, curry powder and cayenne pepper in small bowl to blend.

Melt butter and honey with remaining ¼ t. salt in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add pecan halves and stire to coat; remove from heat.
Add spice mixture and toss to coat pecans evenly.
Spread pecans in single layer on prepared baking sheet.

Bake pecans until dry and toasted, about 40 minutes.
Cool completely.
Separate pecans.
Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. (I froze them.)

Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves with Cream Cheese Chutney Roulade

Shortbread
3 ½ oz. crumbled blue cheese (about ½ cup)
3 T. unsalted butter, room temp (I use salted)
½ c. all purpose flour
¼ c. cornstarch
¼ t. coarse salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper 1/3 c. walnuts, finely chopped

I toasted the walnuts, but then the dough was too crumbly. Next time I will try not toasting. I added a little extra butter to try and get dough to stick together.

Blend cheese and butter in processor until creamy.

Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add walnuts and process just until moist clumps form.

Gather dough into ball.
Flatten into disk.
Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough between sheet of plastic wrap to 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness. Remove top sheet.
Using 2 ½ inch x 1 inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut out leaves. Transfer leaves to prepared baking sheets. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional leaves. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer leaves to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temp. I froze them.)

Roulade
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 T. and 1 t. dry sherry
½ t. curry powder
1/8 t. salt

1 c. mango chutney
¾ c. green onions, thinly sliced

Mix cheeses, sherry, curry powder and salt. Spread cream mixture into a 10 x 8 inch rectangle (or thereabout) on a piece of plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes to harden. Spread ½ c. chutney and about half of the green onions on cream cheese mixture. Roll from the long side jelly roll style in to a log. Gently press remaining green onions onto roulade (I made a day ahead and just sprinkled the onion on just before serving). Wrap the roulade tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to two days.

To serve: Place roulade on platter. Surround with shortbread leaves.
Top roulade with remaining 1/3 cup chutney and serve.I served with the curried pecans too!