Description
Create a stunning and festive Christmas Tree Shaped Charcuterie Board using fresh rosemary sprigs, assorted cheeses, fruits, and nuts arranged in a tree shape perfect for holiday gatherings. This visually appealing appetizer combines sharp and mild cheddar cheeses with vibrant fruits like grapes, kiwi, star fruit, and fresh cranberries, accented by aromatic rosemary sprigs and crunchy nuts to delight your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Herbs and Vegetables
- 10 fresh rosemary sprigs (more or less depending on size)
- 1 celery stalk
Fruits
- Red, green, and black seedless grapes, clipped into small clusters or stems removed
- ½ cup fresh cranberries
- 1–2 star fruits, sliced
- 1 green kiwi fruit, sliced
Cheeses
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into ¾-inch squares
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack, cut into ¾-inch squares
- 4 ounces mild or medium cheddar, cut into ¾-inch squares
Nuts
- 1 cup assorted nuts (almonds recommended for the base)
Instructions
- Create the Tree Outline: Arrange the rosemary sprigs starting at the top of your serving board and spread them out wider as you move down to form the shape of a Christmas tree. Adjust and rearrange as needed to achieve an even and balanced outline.
- Add the Tree Trunk: Place the celery stalk at the bottom center as the trunk of the tree, trimming it to a length that looks proportional to your tree shape.
- Layer the Rows of Ingredients: Starting from the bottom of the tree shape, place alternating rows of cheese and grapes. For example, begin with a row of cheese squares, then a row of red grapes, followed by cheese, green grapes, more cheese, and finally black grapes at the top of the body.
- Create the Tree Top: Arrange kiwi slices in a triangular pattern at the very top of the tree to finish the foliage.
- Add the Star and Decorations: Place a single slice of star fruit at the peak of the kiwi triangle to serve as the star on top of the tree. Scatter additional star fruit slices randomly across the tree branches for decoration.
- Garnish with Cranberries and Nuts: Sprinkle fresh cranberries intermittently around the tree for pops of red color. Arrange the assorted nuts, especially almonds, around the base of the celery stalk to resemble a pot holding the tree.
- Final Touches and Serving: Your festive Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board is now ready to serve. You may assemble it up to 4 hours in advance, covering it with plastic wrap and refrigerating until serving time.
Notes
- This recipe serves as a guide—feel free to add sliced deli meats rolled up in rows if you prefer a meat and cheese board.
- Experiment with different kinds of cheeses, including gourmet options or cheese curds, based on your taste preference.
- Use a small star-shaped cookie cutter to create additional cheese stars to decorate the tree and the star at the top if star fruit is unavailable.
- Adjust ingredient quantities and layout to suit the size of your serving board and number of guests.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th of the platter
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
