Winter Solstice Cheese Board (Printable)

A vibrant board combining dark olives and figs with Brie, pears, nuts, and fresh herbs for a festive spread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dark Side Ingredients

01 - 3.5 oz pitted Kalamata olives
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 Ingredients

08 - 7 oz ripe Brie cheese, wheel or wedge
09 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
10 - 2 tbsp honeycomb or 2 tbsp 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

# Directions:

01 - Use a line of rosemary sprigs or a row of crackers to split a large rectangular or round serving board evenly in half.
02 - Place the Kalamata and oil-cured black olives, dried mission figs, fig jam, dark chocolate pieces, and roasted almonds neatly on one half of the board. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
03 - On the opposite half, arrange the Brie cheese, thinly sliced pears, honeycomb or honey drizzle, toasted walnuts, and seedless green grapes. Garnish with fresh thyme.
04 - Place sliced baguette and assorted crackers either along the center dividing line or on separate plates for easy serving.
05 - Present immediately at room temperature to enjoy the balance of flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's practically no cooking, just beautiful arranging that makes you look like you've been in the kitchen for hours.
  • The visual drama of light versus dark actually tastes as good as it looks—sweet figs play against salty olives, creamy Brie meets crisp pears.
  • It's the kind of board that works for a quiet dinner with one person or feeds a crowd without stress.
02 -
  • Slice the pears at the last possible moment or they'll brown and lose that jewel-like appearance—lemon juice helps if you're forced to prep early.
  • The Brie should be ripe enough to give under gentle pressure but not so soft it collapses; take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.
  • Don't over-arrange or the board loses its relaxed, abundant feeling—some empty space is more inviting than filling every square inch.
03 -
  • Build the board no more than two hours before serving so the pears stay firm and the Brie stays defined—you can prep all your elements earlier, but the final arrangement matters.
  • Use a large rectangular board rather than round if you can; it makes the visual division feel intentional and allows more room for each side to breathe.
  • Toast your own walnuts and almonds just before assembling if possible—the warmth and freshness make a quiet but noticeable difference.
Return