An edible Christmas tree built from camembert, cured meats, cheeses cut into stars, fresh and dried fruit and crisp Nordic crackers. Part one of two festive grazing boards.
Festive Grazing Boards for the Holidays: Part 1
With Christmas just around the corner, I have been busy planning my Christmas menus, thinking about all of the delicious meals and treats I want to whip up and share with my family and friends. For me, this is one of my favourite parts of the holiday season - creating food that not only tastes amazing, but also brings everyone together around the table.
Of course, we all know these next few weeks are going to be hectic. Between last-minute gift wrapping (please tell me you made the most of the Black Friday sales too?), organising food and drinks and decking the halls (if you haven’t already!) it’s a wonder we have time to sit down at all! But there’s something magical about this time of year - when we can slow down just enough to spend time with loved ones, laugh together and share food that’s not only delicious, but is also visually appealing.
Lately, I have been experimenting in my kitchen at home and I’ve come up with two festive grazing boards - or Christmas Sharing Platters - that I need to share with you. The first is shaped like a Christmas Tree (I am sharing how to make it in this blog, part 1 of my Festive Grazing Boards for the Holidays) and the other is a beautiful Christmas Wreath. Both are perfect for holiday parties, get-togethers or even as a centrepiece on Christmas Day.
What makes these grazing boards so special? They are full of flavour and festive fun! Packed with colourful, fresh ingredients including cheeses, dips, cured meats, vegetables and of course, Mette is Baking crackers.
The best part… they are both so easy and super quick to assemble, putting them together will take just minutes and are ideal for those moments when unexpected guests arrive or when you want to create something unique without spending hours in the kitchen.
But… back to the Christmas Tree platter, which is all about variety and has everything you love, from creamy camembert cheese and salty cured meats to dried and fresh fruit and colourful vegetables all carefully arranged and stacked into an edible Christmas Tree. And, let’s not forget Mette is Baking Crackers - because what’s a grazing board without them?
I can’t wait for you to make it at home - don’t forget to share your creations with us, by tagging us on Instagram @metteisbaking - because if you don’t post about it, did it even happen?
How to make a Christmas Tree Grazing Board
Ingredients
- 1 x wheel of camembert cheese, cut into small bite-sized triangles, ensure all pieces remain in the shape of the wheel
- 1 x kiwi fruit (leave skin on, cut in half using a zigzag pattern - this will resemble the star)
- Your favourite cheeses, cut into stars, large cubes and triangles
- Your favourite cured meats, I used salami and prosciutto
- Dried apricots
- Fresh cherries, stalks removed
- Baby cucumbers, halved lengthwise
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grapes
- Strawberries, hulled
- Currants
- Olives
- Mette is Baking Nordic Crackers to serve
Method
- Start by placing the wheel of camembert at the top of a large serving board, this will form the base of the tree topper or star.
- Place one half of the kiwi fruit on top of the camembert wheel to create a star.
- Using the triangle cheese pieces, create the outline of the Christmas tree shape, layering each piece vertically down the board.
- Fill in the tree shape with the cucumber halves, salami, prosciutto and other cheese pieces to add texture and variety.
- Using the cherries, grapes, strawberries, dried apricots and cherry tomatoes scatter over the tree. Then sprinkle currants and olives over the tree.
- Serve with Mette is Baking Crackers - these can be placed at the top or base of the tree or in a separate bowl to the side. Enjoy!
We’d love to see your creations - tag us on Instagram @metteisbaking
