Garage Beer Chile Lime Beer Cheese Dip with Soft Pretzel Bites
Chef Cynthia
6
15 minutes
25 minutes
Appetizer
Beer cheese dip, now with a squeeze of lime. Garage Beer gets reduced by half for concentrated malt flavor, then melts into pepper jack and sharp cheddar. Spiceology Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip whisks in off the heat, bringing smoky dried chiles, earthy paprika, and clean, citrusy acidity to cut through all that richness, and a final dusting on top keeps the zing front and center. Sodium citrate keeps the cheese glossy and smooth, so this beer cheese dip is as happy on a chafer as it is on your kitchen counter. Serve it with warm soft pretzel bites and kettle chips.
Ingredients
Beer Cheese Dip
- 12 fl oz light lager (355 ml)
- 3 fl oz heavy cream (6 Tbsp)
- 14 g Spiceology Sodium Citrate (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp Spiceology Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip, for stirring in
- ¼ tsp Spiceology ground yellow mustard, sifted
- 1 tsp Spiceology domestic garlic powder
- 4 oz full-fat cream cheese, cut into ½-in cubes and softened
- 8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded from the block and kept cold
- 8 oz pepper jack, shredded from the block and kept cold
- 1 to 2 fl oz extra warm light lager or heavy cream, for adjusting (optional)
Finish and Serve
- 2 tsp Spiceology Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip, for dusting
- 1 oz scallion greens, thinly sliced on the bias
- 12 oz soft pretzel bites, warmed
- 8 oz kettle-style potato chips
Directions
Prep ahead. Set the cream cheese out for 45 to 60 minutes until soft, then cut it into ½-in cubes. Shred the cheddar and pepper jack from the block (a food processor shred disc makes quick work), toss them together, and keep them cold. Set out small cups for the sodium citrate, for the mustard and garlic powder, and for each portion of Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip (stir-in and dusting) so the two portions do not get mixed up.
Reduce the lager. Pour the 12 fl oz lager into a 2-qt heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a steady simmer over medium-high heat and reduce by half, to 6 fl oz (¾ cup), 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam. Check the volume in a liquid measuring cup.
Season the base. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the ground mustard and garlic powder and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant. Hold the Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip for later; it goes in off the heat.
Build the emulsion. Whisk in the heavy cream and sodium citrate. Heat to 170°F, with steam and small bubbles at the edge but no boil, whisking about 2 minutes until the citrate dissolves. Reduce the heat to low.
Melt the cream cheese. Add the cubes and whisk 2 to 3 minutes, until no lumps remain, keeping the liquid between 165 and 175°F.
Add the cheese. Add the shredded cheese in 4 additions, whisking each until fully melted before adding the next. Keep the sauce under 185°F so the emulsion does not break. It is ready in 6 to 8 minutes, when it is glossy and smooth.
Season and blend. Pull the pot off the heat and whisk in the 1 tsp Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip. Taste and adjust heat and tartness with small pinches; the blend and the cheese both bring salt, so add no other salt. If the dip is too thick, loosen it with 1 to 2 fl oz warm lager or cream. You want it to coat the back of a spoon and fall in a slow ribbon. Run an immersion blender for 20 to 30 seconds, keeping the blade submerged to avoid foam.
Hot-hold. Transfer the dip to a preheated chafer or small hotel pan. Hold at 135°F or above, stirring every 30 minutes, for up to about 3 hours. The dip tightens as it sits; loosen with a splash of warm lager or cream.
Warm and serve. Warm the pretzel bites according to the package directions. Just before serving, dust the surface with the dusting portion of Garage Beer Chile Lime Dip and top with scallions. For a long service, dust each serving bowl lightly instead of re-dusting the pan, since the blend is salty and builds up fast. Serve with the pretzel bites and kettle chips.
Recipe Products
Blend
