We all know about cheese and meat charcuteries and even seacuterie boards filled with ocean fare, but a new trend is emerging that’s the sweetest of them all. Sweet tooth, meet the dessert charcuterie board, an inviting collection of confections that can fit virtually any catered event and any theme that is one of the newest dessert trends.
What is a Dessert Charcuterie Board?
Simply put, it’s a bunch of sweet and delicious finger foods, like shortbread cookies, macaroons, vanilla wafers, candies, and sometimes melted gooey marshmallows or chocolate dips, and fresh fruits that allow your guests to graze their way into a pleasant sugar coma. It’s also a beautiful centerpiece for the dessert portion of your catering menu and the perfect way to let your New Orleans caterer’s creativity shine.
The dessert charcuterie board is another way the catering industry is breaking traditional norms. While we all love a good crème brûlée or a fiery bananas Foster, dessert charcuterie boards bring a variety of flavors together in a visually stunning display that gives guests something unique to enjoy. It’s interactive food at its sweetest.
Start With the Assembly
Assembling a dessert charcuterie board is no different than a regular charcuterie board, and many of the tried-and-true rules apply.
Start with the largest anchor items. Let’s use a chocolate dessert charcuterie board as an example. (simonsezit) The largest anchor item would be a bowl of dipping chocolate. Then arrange the dippers on the board, which in this case could be pretzels or Scottish shortbread cookies. Then add whatever medium-size treats you might have, such as strawberries, apples, and nuts. Then you scatter the small items around the plate, which is the perfect opportunity to add raspberries or even espresso beans.
The Only Limit to Your Board is Your Imagination
You can create dessert charcuterie boards for any holiday, special event, sports team, or milestone. For example, celebrate Easter with a dessert charcuterie board artfully arranged with marshmallow peeps, chocolate bunnies, Easter bread, hot cross buns, pretzels, chocolate eggs, and jellybeans.
For a movie release party, decorate a dessert charcuterie board with caramel popcorn, gummy bears, Twizzlers, peanuts, animal crackers, grapes, strawberries, and cheese? Or try a chocolate fondue board with a wide variety of cookies and savory crackers that rest alongside fruits and creme-filled wafers like Pirouettes. The options and ideas are limitless.
The Main Idea: Aim for Variety
Focus on the visual presentation. Think about mixing colors and shapes and textures and flavors. The ideal dessert charcuterie board should contain one or more items from the following categories:
• Dessert items like cookies, brownies, or fudge
• Fresh or dried fruit, such as apples, strawberries, or bananas
• Something salty to balance the sweet, like nuts, pretzels, or crackers
• Sauces, spreads, and/or melted chocolate for dipping
Don’t forget the good stuff to wash it all down. Champagne pairs nicely with dessert charcuterie boards, as does hot cocoa, tea, and coffee.
Messina’s Can Create Your Very Own Trendy Take on Desserts
Your catered event will never be sweeter than when you display a “come-and-get-it” feast for sweet lovers on a dessert charcuterie board. As one of New Orleans’ top full-service caterers, Messina’s Catering and Events can suggest inventive combinations to fit any occasion. Leave the mixing, baking, and assembly to us. Want to know more? Visit www.messinascatering.com.