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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY I LOVE THIS ARTICLE: I’m so excited to share my 10 Dessert Charcuterie Board Recipes with you! My Free Downloadable Dessert Charcuterie Guide has 10 step-by-step recipes to make 10 different chocolate desserts — and this article has all the tips and tricks you’ll need to assemble a beautiful dessert charcuterie board. With fresh fruit, chocolate desserts, and creamy dips, your dessert board will be the talk of the holiday season!
Charcuterie boards have been a classic holiday appetizer, but they have certainly gained a lot of popularity in the past few years — and for good reason. It’s hard not to love a gorgeous grazing board with dried fruits, nuts, cured meats, and cheeses while socializing with friends and family.
Though traditional charcuterie boards are delicious, charcuterie board recipes have taken on a life of their own!From vegetables and dip boards, to fermented and pickled food boards, to (most recently) butter boards, it seems everything is fair game.
I’ve decided to put a sweet twist on charcuterie boards and created my luscious Dessert Charcuterie Board, adorned with lavish chocolate desserts, fresh fruits, and creamy dips. And you can make your own sweet charcuterie board with 10 original recipes, all neatly compiled in my free charcuterie board guide. Click here to download the free PDF.
My guide has a great mix of various flavors and textures that are sure to please everyone’s sweet tooth, especially chocolate lovers!
The best part is your dessert board is totally customizable. Add or omit different fruits, nuts, toppings, or whatever satisfies your taste, and enjoy!
Table Of Contents
- What Is A Charcuterie Board?
- Tools You Need To Make A Charcuterie Board
- Food You Need To Make A Sweet Charcuterie Board
- How To Assemble A Dessert Charcuterie Board
- Can I Make A Dessert Charcuterie Board Ahead Of Time?
- How To Store Leftovers From Charcuterie Board
- FAQs
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- More Goodies To Add To Your Charcuterie Board
What Is A Charcuterie Board?
A charcuterie board, also known as a grazing board, is an appetizer typically composed of sliced meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and spreads. The foods are plated on a shared wooden board, making them a great social activity. Usually, this appetizer is a bit of a mix-and-match, where you pair various foods together for different combinations.
The term “charcuterie” (shar-KOO-ta-REE) was coined in 15th-century France, deriving from the French words “chair,” meaning flesh, and “cuit,” meaning cooked. Charcuterie boards made their way to the United States after dinner parties became more informal events.
Nowadays, people put creative twists on charcuterie boards — anything and everything from charcuterie fast food boards to dessert boards like this one!
What You Need To Make A Charcuterie Board
What Food Should Be On A Dessert Charcuterie Board?
Below is a list of recipes I included on my dessert board. You can find all the step-by-step recipes for all 10 delicious accouterments in my handy free downloadable Dessert Charcuterie Board PDF.
- Mocha Pâté: Smooth and rich mocha-flavored dark chocolate pâté makes for an elegant dessert on its own with a dollop of whipped cream, but this thick, sliceable mousse-like treat also tastes lovely with fresh fruit.
- Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds: Addictive crunchy, salty roasted almonds make a wonderful base for a thin coating of sweet milk chocolate.
- Tuile Cigars: Crisp, delicate cookies add elegance to any cookie platter.
- Almond Crisps: Thin, crispy, and more nutty than sweet. Use these to scoop up some mocha pâté or ganache.
- White Chocolate Ganache Dip: White chocolate in a delicious dippable form.
- Chocolate Ganache Dip: Rich and creamy, the perfect chocolate dipping sauce.
- White Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods: White chocolate covered pretzels are as easy to make as they are delicious, especially for those who like a little salty with their sweet.
- Chocolate Salami: Don’t worry — it’s not really salami! Chocolate salami is a no-bake Italian and Portuguese dessert composed of chocolate ganache, nuts, and cookies that is shaped into a log and cut like thick slices of salami.
- Orange Shortbread With Chocolate Orange Truffle Filling: Tender, crumbly shortbread perfumed with orange zest. The rich, silky chocolate-orange filling makes these cookies swoon-worthy!
- Candied Orange Peel: Simple to make and a lovely topping for cakes and cookies.
How To Assemble A Dessert Charcuterie Board
- Fill two serving bowls with the White Chocolate Ganache Dip and the Chocolate Ganache Dip. Place them somewhere near the center of your serving board or tray.
- Arrange fresh berries, candies, cookies, pâté, pretzels, nuts, crisps, and salami randomly around the dips on the board.
Can I Make A Charcuterie Board Ahead Of Time?
Every food element that goes on your charcuterie board can be made in advance! This will make it easy and quick to prepare your Dessert Charcuterie Board for any last-minute party invites.
If you’re planning on making your board a lot earlier before serving, or your kitchen happens to be a bit warmer, you can pop your board in the refrigerator for a few hours. Make sure to let it come down to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
How To Store Leftovers From Charcuterie Board
If you find yourself with some leftovers from your dessert board, I recommend individually storing each element, as freshness may vary. Storing instructions for individual components are included in my downloadable Dessert Charcuterie Board guide.
For dips, where it’s likely other food particles are mixed in after eating, it’s better to discard those than save them.
FAQs
Does my charcuterie board have to be wood?
While charcuterie boards typically use wooden boards, there are no strict rules that say you have to use them. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand, whether that’s a stone slab or a serving platter. Just make sure it’s safe to put food on top of it.
Should I refrigerate my charcuterie board before serving?
Unlike traditional charcuterie boards with fresh foods that must be refrigerated, my Dessert Charcuterie Board does not require it. (Except if you are making the board in advance. See my notes above.)
Everything on the board should be at room temperature except for the dips, which I recommend are warmed before serving. If you are throwing berries onto your board, make sure they’re fresh, but they don’t have to be straight out of the refrigerator.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Make sure to lay out pre-portioned foods so that it’s easier for people to grab and go.
- Remember to fill all the spaces on the board, and think about varying colors and textures as you place the desserts.
- For the perfect charcuterie board, think about repetition and impact; some items will be nice to repeat around the board for balance, while a few elements should only be in one spot for impact.
- Though I laid out my spread this way, you can use other inspirational pictures or templates for reference.
- Buy festive fruits and flowers to complement the rest of the goodies on your board.
- Have many serving bowls on hand that aren’t for displaying your dips — people will need plates and bowls to eat on. Also, place a few dessert forks or toothpicks around your bowl to encourage your guests to dig in, but in a sanitary way.
- Serve your Dessert Charcuterie Board with my Best Ever Hot Chocolate, Homemade Eggnog, and Homemade Apple Cider to elevate the charcuterie experience!
More Sweet Treats To Add To Your Charcuterie Boards
- Candy Cane And Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
- Brownie Brittle From Scratch
And don’t miss more everyday baking recipes in my NEW Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook!
