Insanely Easy Individual Cheese Board

individual chees board for one person on a blue plate.

5 from 2 votes

Insanely Easy Individual Cheese Board

The perfect solution for small get-togethers or upscale dinner parties, these single-serve charcuterie boards give off an elegant appearance without the fuss of a huge cheese platter. Be prepared to wow at your next holiday gatherings, romantic dinners, or happy hour events.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Rest Time30

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: mini boards

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Jessica Mode

Equipment

mini cheese board

Ingredients

For the Sugared Cranberries

⅛ cup water
¼ cup, plus ⅛ cup granulated sugar
2 ounces fresh cranberries

For the Baked Brie

4 mini brie bites (from Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon dried thyme

For the Cheese Board

20 cornichons
24 thinly sliced spicy dry salami
2 ounces (½ ounce/cheese plate) fontina cheese cut in wedge
2 ounces (½ ounce/cheese plate) goat milk mozzarella cheese cubed
16 artisan cranberry crisps
12 flatbread crackers
20 dark chocolate almonds
1 pomegranate broken into small chunks

Instructions

For the Sugared Cranberries

To a small saucepan, combine water and ¼ cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved in the water. Remove from heat.
Set up a wire rack with a piece of parchment paper underneath. Add cranberries to the simple syrup mixture. Toss cranberries around, making sure each cranberry is fully coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack, and allow them to dry for 20 - 30 minutes. You'll know the cranberries are ready when they feel tacky on the outside, but the simple syrup does not stick to your fingers.
Pour remaining ⅛ cup of sugar onto a plate. Gently, roll cranberries in the sugar until all sides are fully coated.

For the Baked Brie

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Along the top of the brie, cut a third of the way down in a crosshatch pattern (about 3 cuts each way). Drizzle ¼ teaspoon of honey, along with ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme over each brie bite. Cook for 5 minutes until brie is melted on the inside (you can test by gently touching the center of the brie and seeing if it gives).

For the Cheese Board

Add cornichons to four small serving bowls. To make the salami roses, take the salami, and lay it in lines of four, each one partially overlapping the other. Fold the whole line in half, so each line is now four overlapping semicircles. Roll the salami until it resembles a rose. Secure the rose with a toothpick to prevent them from unraveling. Repeat this process, so there are two roses on each toothpick. Grab four serving plates and place a serving bowl with cornichons and two salami roses on each plate.
Divide the baked brie bites, fontina cheese, and goat milk cheese between the four serving plates.
Tuck cranberry crisps and flatbread crackers on the edges of each serving plate.
Fill in the remaining spaces on each serving plate with dark chocolate almonds and pomegranate chunks.

Video

Notes

The flavor and texture of cheeses are best at room temperature. When making your individual cheese board, remove the cheese from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to allow it to reach room temperature. This does not apply to the brie cheese that we're heating up in the oven.

These individual cheese boards can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Wrap each individual plate in plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator to store. You should wait to add the crackers on the board until you're ready to serve, as they will become stale in the refrigerator.

For this board, I would suggest pairing it with a wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or a Brut Champagne. The dry, acidic, light, and fresh fruit aspects of these wines should complement the soft cheeses and salty salami beautifully.

Nutrition