Ingredients:

  • 1 wheel Soft Cheese (Brie or Camembert)
  • 350 g block Hard/Aged Cheese (Sharp Cheddar or Gruyère)
  • 1 wedge Crumbly/Blue Cheese (Stilton or Gorgonzola)
  • 1 log Goat Cheese (approx. 115g)
  • 10 slices Prosciutto di Parma
  • 1 package Hard Salami (e.g., Sopressata)
  • 1 box Plain Water Crackers
  • 1 box Seeded Crackers
  • ½ loaf Sliced Baguette or Sourdough
  • 1 cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
  • ½ cup Fig or Apricot Jam
  • ½ cup Pumpkin Butter or Apple Butter
  • 50 g Honeycomb or High-quality Honey
  • 1 bunch Red Seedless Grapes
  • 2 medium Gala or Honeycrisp Apples (sliced and tossed with lemon)
  • ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds (Arils)
  • 1 cup Pecan Halves (for spiced nuts)
  • 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 tsp Unsalted Butter, melted
  • ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • Pinch Flaky Sea Salt
  • Fresh sprigs of Rosemary and Sage leaves
  • ½ cup Small pickled gherkins or cornichons

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Spiced Pecans: Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Toss pecans with melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread on a parchment-lined tray. Roast for 12–15 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and cool completely.
  2. Prepare Fruits and Spreads: Slice apples thinly (toss quickly with lemon juice). Wash grapes, keeping them in small clusters. Place cranberry sauce, jams, and pumpkin butter into small ramekins.
  3. Anchor the Board: Position the three main cheeses (Brie, Cheddar, Stilton) and the small ramekins onto the board first, creating natural stopping points.
  4. Slice and Stack Hard Cheese: Cut approximately half of the hard Cheddar into cubes and place them in piles near the edge. Leave the remaining Cheddar whole.
  5. Place Carriers and Charcuterie: Arrange the crackers and sliced baguette in cascading lines. Fold or roll the prosciutto and salami loosely and place them artfully in curves or piles between the cheese anchors.
  6. Fill the Board: Use the grapes and apple slices to fill larger open spaces. Scatter the cooled spiced pecans and pomegranate seeds into the remaining small gaps and crevices, especially around the goat cheese and dips.
  7. Garnish and Serve: Place the gherkins near the meats. Tuck sprigs of fresh rosemary and sage among the cheeses and fruit clusters. Ensure soft cheeses are room temperature and serve within 30 minutes of final assembly.