Waitrose and Partners
Christmas cheeseboard

Christmas cheeseboard

No festive feast is complete without a cracking cheeseboard. Waitrose stocks some of the world’s most acclaimed cheeses, so Martha Collison has assembled a quintet of some of her favourites.

0 out of 5 stars(0) Rate this recipe
  • Serves6
  • CourseDessert
  • Prepare15 mins
  • Cook20 mins
  • Total time35 mins

Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.

Ingredients

For the cheeseboard

  • 200g No.1 Smoked Red Fox Vintage Red Leicester
  • 250g No.1 Berthaut’s Epoisses AOP or 350g No.1 Badoz Vacherin Du Haut-Doubs AOP
  • 200g No.1 Colston Bassett Blue Stilton
  • 200g No.1 Goat’s Milk Gouda
  • 200g g Godminster Organic Black Truffle Howling Hound Cheddar
  • 130g pack No.1 Malted Rye Sourdough Crackers
  • 150g pack No.1 Italian Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia Thins
  • 100g pack Miller’s Toast Cranberry & Raisin
  • ⅓ x 210g Tracklements Fresh Chilli Jam
  • ¼ x 340g clear acacia honey
  • 200g No.1 Perfectly Soft Orchard Fruit
  • 250g seedless grapes
  • Fresh rosemary, to garnish

For the baked balsamic figs

  • 4 large figs
  • 75g Waitrose Walnut Halves
  • tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp Essential Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp clear honey
  • 1 sprig/s rosemary

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Find a large ovenproof ramekin, approx 15cm diameter.

  2. Trim the stems off the figs, then slice each into 6 wedges. Arrange the wedges concentrically in the ramekin, starting around the outside and working into the centre, to create a pretty open flower design. Slot the walnut halves between each piece of fig

  3. Mix together the vinegar, oil and honey in a small ramekin, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the top of the sliced figs and nuts.

  4. Bake for 15 minutes, until the figs begin to caramelise and the juices are bubbling. Break the rosemary into small sprigs and push into the gaps, then return to the oven for 5 minutes more.

  5. Allow the figs to cool until slightly warm to the touch. The syrup will thicken and the figs will absorb the excess. Serve with your cheeseboard as a delectable accompaniment. You can make this up to three days before serving – store in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

  6. About 20 minutes before serving, assemble the cheeses on the board and allow to come to room temperature. Fan out the crackers and fruit toasts in an attractive display, then add ramekins of chilli jam and honey with small spoons to serve. Place the baked figs on the board, still in their dish, then fill any gaps with dried fruit, grapes and rosemary.

Cook’s tip

The Smoked Red Fox and Goat’s Milk Gouda are so spectacular that they have both been awarded a coveted three Great Taste award stars – a rigorous process dedicated to finding the best of the best in food. Try them for yourself and see if you agree! The golden rule to get the best out of your cheeses is to allow them to come to room temperature before serving. The flavour profiles are much more pronounced and melt far better in the mouth once the chill is taken off, so you’ll find they taste much more intense.

Nutritional

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe

Energy

5,373kJ/ 1,299kcals

Fat

77g

Saturated Fat

42g

Carbohydrates

91g

Sugars

51g

Fibre

8.5g

Protein

54g

Salt

4.2g

Book a slot to see product availability at your nearest Waitrose & Partners store

Rating details

Rate this recipe

Select your rating

0 out of 5 stars

Overall rating

No ratings for this recipe yet