Christmas CharcuteTREE Board!

Aside from being a total crowd-pleaser and the perfect centerpiece for cocktail hour, this Christmas tree cheese board is also:

Quick & Easy – You only need about 15 minutes of prep time to make this yummy edible tree. So simple!

Completely Customizable – Feel free to use your own favorite fruits, veggies, meats, and cheeses to make the perfect charcuteTREE board for your party. From choosing the colors to fit your decorations to opting for your favorite flavors, you have complete control over this party-ready snack!

Make-Ahead!

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS

This tasty charcuterie tree comes together with just a few basic elements. Feel free to pick and choose from the ideas below to create your very own masterpiece!

Cheese – Feel free to choose your favorites. We like to choose a variety of colors including a 5 or 7 year cheddar, a Gouda (we think the Summerfields is a fun one to add a touch of Rosemary flavor but any of our Goudas will do,) and an Italian Style for variety.

Pretzels, Fruits & Veggies – Use a stalk of celery to act as the tree trunk. or pretzel sticks as an option! This recipe uses seedless green, red, and black grapes, green kiwi, yellow star fruit, and fresh cranberries or sugared cranberries as ornaments. Feel free to choose whatever you like best and use different shapes. Round grapes, star-shaped starfruit, and square cubes of cheese gives you 3 different looks. You can even cut the fruits and veggies to help give your charcuterie platter some extra visual interest!

Nuts – Add some crunch to your cheese plate with the addition of some toasted nuts.

Meat – Prosciutto, salami, deli meats, and sliced sausages are all great options.

Greenery –Cypress sprigs are beautiful, but any evergreen will work or even fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or sage.

Crackers –use a fun variety of shapes and textures and we like to also include oval-shaped slices of soft baguette.

Step 1: Make The Outline. Place greenery/sprigs in the shape of a tree on a wooden tray, platter, or cutting board to resemble a Christmas tree shape. Place celery or pretzel sticks at the bottom for the tree trunk.

Step 2: Arrange cheese cubes, grapes, and kiwi in rows on top of the greenery.

Step 3: Garnish with fresh herbs between the fruits and cheeses to create a 3D effect.

Step 4: Fill out the tree shape by tucking additional greenery sprigs under the ingredients as needed.

Step 5: Decorate using star shapes on top of the ingredients and top off the tree. Sprinkle with fresh cranberries.

ENJOY! And don’t forget to send us photos to wisconsincheesemasters@gmail.com to be entered in our CharcuteTREE contest!

INGREDIENTS

▢evergreen or cypress sprigs

▢1 stalk celery or pretzel sticks

▢4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

▢4 ounces Gouda, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

▢1/2 pound Italian Style, cut into fingers

▢seedless green, red, and black grapes

▢1 kiwi, sliced

▢fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage

▢1 star fruit slices or persimmon or cheese slices, shaped with a star cookie cutter

▢fresh cranberries