Gilded Acorn Nut Board (Printable Version)

Nut-forward board featuring gold-dusted almonds, acorn-shaped cheeses, dried fruits, and assorted crackers.

# Ingredient List:

→ Nuts

01 - 1 cup whole almonds
02 - 120 ml whole almonds (for gold-sprinkled preparation)
03 - ½ cup pecans
04 - ½ cup walnuts
05 - ½ cup hazelnuts

→ Gold-Sprinkled Almonds

06 - ½ teaspoon edible gold dust or gold leaf flakes

→ Cheeses

07 - 227 g sharp cheddar cheese block
08 - 227 g gouda cheese block
09 - 227 g brie or camembert (optional)

→ Accompaniments

10 - 120 ml dried apricots
11 - 120 ml dried figs, halved
12 - 120 ml seedless red grapes
13 - 120 ml fresh apple slices
14 - 60 ml honey or fig jam

→ Crackers & Bread

15 - 1 cup assorted crackers (gluten-free if needed)
16 - 1 small baguette, sliced

# How to Make:

01 - Place 120 ml almonds in a small bowl. Lightly mist or brush with water to help the gold dust adhere. Sprinkle evenly with edible gold dust, tossing gently to coat. Set aside to dry for a few minutes.
02 - Slice cheddar and gouda into 6 mm thick slabs. Using a small acorn-shaped cookie cutter, cut out acorn shapes. Optionally, use a paring knife to add detail or create two-tone effects by stacking cheese layers.
03 - Distribute all nuts, including gold-sprinkled almonds, pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts, in small clusters or bowls on a large board or platter.
04 - Arrange acorn-shaped cheese cutouts around the board, interspersed with cubes or wedges of brie or camembert for textural contrast.
05 - Distribute dried apricots, figs, grapes, and apple slices in small piles or fan shapes to add color and freshness.
06 - Place honey or fig jam in a small serving dish with a spoon or honey dipper.
07 - Fill remaining spaces on the board with assorted crackers and sliced baguette.
08 - Serve immediately or cover lightly and refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks showstopping but takes just 25 minutes, so you can spend your actual evening with people instead of hunched over the stove.
  • You can swap literally any cheese or nut you love without breaking anything, making it endlessly adaptable to what's in your fridge.
  • The gold dust is pure theater—your guests will think you spent hours when really you just borrowed a little sparkle.
02 -
  • Room-temperature cheese tastes infinitely better than cold cheese straight from the fridge—the flavors open up and everything becomes rounder and richer.
  • Gold dust will stick to anything wet, so coat those almonds right before serving or keep them completely separate until the last moment.
  • Slice your apples just before assembly or toss them in a tiny bit of lemon juice; oxidation is real and brown slices ruin the whole aesthetic.
03 -
  • Buy cheese from the cheese counter if your market has one instead of pre-sliced; you'll get better flavor and the acorn cutter will glide through cleanly.
  • Toast your baguette slices very lightly under the broiler 30 seconds before serving—they become crispy but not hard, and the warmth brings out the bread's sweetness perfectly.
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