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Festive Christmas Charcuterie Wreath Board: Easy & Light

christmas charcuterie wreath board - featured image
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A stunning and light charcuterie wreath board that looks like a million bucks but comes together in under 20 minutes. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this board features smoked turkey, prosciutto, goat cheese, fresh fruits, and crunchy nuts on a bed of rosemary.

Ingredients

  • Large round wooden board or platter (12-16 inches in diameter)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (4-5 sprigs)
  • Fresh bay leaves (optional, a handful)
  • Smoked turkey breast (8-10 slices, about 200g)
  • Prosciutto (4-6 slices, about 100g)
  • Light cream cheese (4 oz, about 113g), softened
  • Goat cheese log (4 oz, about 113g)
  • Light cheddar cheese (4 oz, about 113g), cut into small cubes or thin wedges
  • Pomegranate arils (½ cup, about 80g)
  • Seedless red grapes (1 cup, about 150g), cut into small clusters
  • Mandarin oranges or clementines (2-3, peeled and segmented)
  • English cucumber (½, sliced into thin ribbons using a peeler)
  • Dried apricots (½ cup, about 80g)
  • Toasted almonds (½ cup, about 70g)
  • Whole-wheat crackers (about 20-25, like Triscuit or Wasa)
  • Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (¼ cup, about 30g)
  • Honey or balsamic glaze (2 tablespoons, optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the board base. Place your large round board on the counter. Take 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and lay them down in a circular pattern, like the outline of a wreath. The stems should point inward, with the leafy tips pointing outward.
  2. Add the ‘anchor’ bowls. Place your small ramekins or bowls in the center of the board. Fill one with the softened light cream cheese and another with the goat cheese log. If using honey or balsamic glaze, pour a small amount into a third bowl.
  3. Arrange the proteins. Roll each smoked turkey slice loosely into a cylinder or a small rosette. Place them evenly around the wreath, tucking them slightly under the rosemary. Do the same with the prosciutto, folding it into loose ribbons.
  4. Place the cheese. Cut your light cheddar into small cubes (about ½ inch) or thin wedges. Scatter these around the wreath, nestling them between the meat piles.
  5. Add the fruits. Sprinkle pomegranate arils in small, deliberate piles around the wreath. Place mandarin orange segments in groups of 2-3, tucking them near the rosemary. Add small clusters of red grapes in a few spots. Scatter dried apricots flat or folded around the board.
  6. Create the cucumber ribbons. Using a vegetable peeler, peel long, thin strips from the cucumber. Gently curl or fold each ribbon and tuck them into the wreath, especially near the rosemary.
  7. Add the crunch. Sprinkle toasted almonds and pumpkin seeds around the board in small clusters or lines.
  8. Fill in with crackers. Fan whole-wheat crackers in groups of 3-4 around the outer edge of the wreath. Place a few closer to the center as well.
  9. Finish with a drizzle. If using honey or balsamic glaze, lightly drizzle it over the goat cheese and a few of the fruit piles.
  10. Final check. Step back and look at your board. Fill any empty spots with a few extra almonds, a rosemary sprig, or a couple of grapes. The goal is to have no bare wood showing through.

Notes

If making ahead, prepare all ingredients but don’t assemble the board until 30 minutes before serving. Keep pomegranate arils and nuts in separate bags until the last minute. Use room temperature cheese for best texture. Toast nuts for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: charcuterie board, Christmas appetizer, holiday appetizer, light charcuterie, wreath board, easy appetizer, healthy appetizer

Find it online: https://oracooks.com/festive-christmas-charcuterie-wreath-board-easy-and-light/