Dessert Charcuterie Board (Print version)
A 20-minute dessert platter of fruits, sweets and dips, arranged for elegant, shareable entertaining.
# What you need:
→ Fresh Fruits
01 - 1 cup strawberries, halved
02 - 1 cup seedless grapes
03 - 1 cup blueberries
04 - 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
05 - 1 apple, thinly sliced, tossed with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning
→ Sweets & Treats
06 - 1 cup assorted chocolates (dark, milk, white)
07 - 1 cup assorted cookies (shortbread, chocolate chip, macarons)
08 - ½ cup mini brownies or brownie bites
09 - ½ cup marshmallows
10 - ½ cup chocolate-covered pretzels
→ Dips & Spreads
11 - ½ cup Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
12 - ½ cup salted caramel sauce
13 - ½ cup whipped cream or vanilla yogurt
→ Garnishes
14 - ¼ cup candied nuts
15 - Fresh mint sprigs
# Directions:
01 - Wash and thoroughly dry all fresh fruits. Halve the strawberries, peel and slice the kiwis, and thinly slice the apple, tossing the apple slices with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.
02 - Arrange the prepared fruits in clusters across a large serving board or platter, spacing them out to create distinct sections.
03 - Fill small bowls or ramekins with Nutella, salted caramel sauce, and whipped cream or vanilla yogurt. Place them at various points around the board for easy access.
04 - Scatter the assorted chocolates, cookies, mini brownies, marshmallows, and chocolate-covered pretzels across the board, grouping similar items together for a visually appealing presentation.
05 - Tuck candied nuts and fresh mint sprigs into any remaining gaps on the board to add texture, color, and a finished look.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature. Encourage guests to mix, match, and dip to create their own perfect bite combinations.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Zero cooking means you can pull this together while still in your slippers, yet it looks like you spent hours planning.
- Everyone finds something they love because you control the mix, from chocolate devotees to fruit purists.
02 -
- Dry your fruit obsessively because even a little moisture on grapes will make your chocolate pieces bloom and look cloudy within minutes.
- Assemble the board no more than an hour before serving since cut fruit and sitting chocolates lose their appeal quickly.
03 -
- Odd numbers look better on a board, so arrange items in groups of three or five for that effortless styling trick.
- The fastest thing to disappear will be the salted caramel sauce, so put out more of it than you think you need.