Winter Solstice Cheese Board (Printable)

A seasonal cheese and fruit board balancing rich savory and bright fresh elements.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dark Side

01 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted
02 - 3.5 oz oil-cured black olives
03 - 4.25 oz dried mission figs, halved
04 - 2 tbsp fig jam
05 - 1.4 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
06 - 2.1 oz roasted almonds
07 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary for garnish

→ Light Side

08 - 7 oz ripe Brie cheese, wheel or wedge
09 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
10 - 2 tbsp honeycomb or honey
11 - 1.4 oz toasted walnuts
12 - 2.1 oz seedless green grapes
13 - 1 small bunch fresh thyme for garnish

→ Accompaniments

14 - 1 small baguette, sliced
15 - 3.5 oz assorted crackers

# Method:

01 - Use a line of rosemary or a row of crackers to evenly divide the board in half.
02 - On one half, place Kalamata olives, oil-cured black olives, dried figs, fig jam, dark chocolate pieces, and roasted almonds. Garnish with rosemary.
03 - On the other half, arrange Brie, thinly sliced pears, honeycomb or honey drizzle, toasted walnuts, and green grapes. Garnish with thyme.
04 - Set baguette slices and assorted crackers along the center or serve separately.
05 - Present immediately at room temperature.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It looks stunning without requiring any actual cooking, so you can focus on the joy of gathering instead of being stuck at the stove.
  • The dark and light divide creates natural conversation at the table—people genuinely stop to admire it before eating.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, which means you're already relaxed before anyone arrives.
02 -
  • Slice your pears at the last possible moment before serving, or they'll brown and lose their visual magic—this is non-negotiable for the light side's impact.
  • Taste a piece of your Brie before it goes on the board; if it's still cold and firm, let it sit on the counter for fifteen minutes so its creaminess shines through.
03 -
  • Assemble your board no more than thirty minutes before serving so everything stays at its best temperature and the pear slices stay pale and fresh.
  • Use a board that's large enough to breathe—a cramped board loses all its impact, so go bigger than you think you need.
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