Hedgehog Rolls Food

WOODLAND HEDGEHOG CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• Stir together all the spices in a small bowl until well combined.
• In a few batches, grind the spices a little smaller using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and cheddar with a hand-held electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and additional spices. Add the homemade onion soup mix to taste.
• Blend until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides for an even mix.
• Chill the cheese mixture in the fridge for about 2 hours to firm up the mixture. You can keep it in the fridge for a few days at this point if you want to make it ahead.
• Once the mixture has chilled enough to handle, place the mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the wrap around the cheese, then shape it into a smooth ball. Use your hands to shape one end into a point to make the hedgehog's head.
• Unwrap the hedgehog and place him on the serving board. Make any adjustments to the shape, smoothing holes or creases with the back of a spoon.
• Once you're satisfied with the hedgehog's shape, stick on the two dried beans for eyes and the raisin for a nose. Decorate the hedgehog's back with rows of pecan halves and walnut pieces to look like spines.
• Curl a few sprigs of fresh rosemary around the hedgehog to look like pine branches in a forest. Serve with crackers.

STUFFED CHALLAH HEDGEHOGS

Steps:

• For the challah: In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and give it a little stir. Let it sit until it becomes foamy on top, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the flour, salt and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs.
• When the yeast is foamy, add it to the dry mixture immediately followed by the egg mixture and stir to combine. Knead, either by hand on a floured surface or with a dough hook, adding more flour as necessary (but resist any urge to add too much!), until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and butter with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Mix in the salt and egg white (reserve the egg yolk for the egg wash), and then add the vanilla extract. Stir in the pecan flour.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a clean surface (dust with a little flour if it's too sticky) and divide into 14 balls. Fill each ball with a heaping tablespoon of filling and seal well to shut. Place the balls seam-side down on the lined baking sheets, spaced evenly apart. Let rise for 30 more minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, beat the reserved egg yolk with a splash of water. Working with 3 rolls at a time, brush the egg wash onto the rolls, use scissors to make two 1/2-inch cuts for ears and use tweezers to stick on 2 black sesame seeds for eyes. (If you wait too long after brushing on the egg wash, it will dry and the sesame seeds won't stick; that's why you want to work with no more than 3 rolls at a time.)
• Bake until golden brown; begin checking for doneness at 20 minutes.
• For the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, almond extract and 5 teaspoons milk. If it's too thick to spread, add additional milk, a couple of drops at a time, until it's spreadable.
• Working one at a time, spread a circle of glaze onto the rolls and then top with overlapping rows of slivered almonds.

HEDGEHOG BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray with nonstick spray.
• For the ears and tail: Pinch off a large marble-size piece of dough and set aside.
• For the head and body: Form the remaining dough into an 8-inch-long teardrop shape on the prepared baking sheet. Pull the narrow end out to form a snout. Lay the tip of the snout on an overturned spoon so that it points up slightly. Coat the dough with cooking spray and let rise in a warm place until slightly puffed, about 45 minutes.
• Add the baking soda to 1/4 cup boiling water and stir until dissolved.
• With the snout facing you, visualize a widow's peak (or heart shape) a third of the way up to frame the hedgehog's face. Brush the outline of the widow's peak. Brush behind the widow's peak and the remaining dough, leaving the face unbrushed. Brush a little plain water on the end of the snout and press in a cherry for a nose. Cut two small slits in the face on either side and press in dried cherries for eyes. Divide the reserved marble-size piece of dough in thirds and roll into balls. Attach two pieces to the top of the head (on either side of the widow's peak) with plain water and press with your thumb and finger to make a concave ear shape. Attach the last ball to the back at the base for a tail. Stick the pecans under his body for feet.
• Starting at the top of the widow's peak, use sharp scissors to cut spikes in rows all down the back of the hedgehog.
• Bake until the hedgehog is risen and the back is well browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.