How To Make A Christmas Charcuterie Board

A DIY charcuterie board makes the perfect table centrepiece this Christmas. The great thing about it is that you can experiment and tailor it to your taste. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and you can arrange and rearrange things to suit your liking. All you’ll need is a large wooden cutting board, some small bowls and cheese knives. Learn how to make this delicious festive appetiser below.

What you’ll need:

Cheese: a mix of hard and soft cheese like cheddar, goat cheese, brie, colby, pepper jack and bocconcini (small mozzarella balls which look like snowballs)

Meat: a mix of salami, pepperoni and prosciutto

Carbs: pretzel sticks, baguette slices, Christmas-shaped crackers (see tips below)

Fresh produce: herbs like basil, berries like blackberries and raspberries for filling gaps, small clementines (especially with the leaves on) look very festive, veggies like celery or cucumber (especially if serving with hummus)

Nuts and dried fruit: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, raisins, apricots, dried figs

Condiments and dips: honey, sweet fruity jams, mustard, hummus, chutneys

Tips:

• Create a wreath or a tree shape for an extra Christmassy look
• Use red and green elements to make your charcuterie board even more festive. Add red cherry tomatoes and green olives scattered on top. Other options include sweet cherry peppers, nuts, fresh figs, red pomegranate seeds, kiwi or red and green grapes
• Use snowflake and star cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the cheese or meat
• Include two to three of each element so that your guests have options to choose from. This also helps to diversify the board and make it more visually appealing
• Garnish with rosemary sprigs or fresh dill to evoke a tree branch feeling
• Serve sauces in small bowls around the board
• Sprinkle nuts to fill empty spots and add colour the board