Midnight Orchard Fruit Cheese (Printable)

An elegant mix of dark cherries, plums, grapes, and creamy black-ashed goat cheese on a platter.

# What you'll need:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup pitted and halved dark cherries
02 - 2 ripe plums, sliced into wedges
03 - 1 cup halved purple grapes

→ Cheese

04 - 7 oz black-ashed goat cheese, sliced or crumbled

→ Garnishes

05 - 2 tbsp toasted walnuts (optional)
06 - 1 tbsp honey (optional)
07 - Fresh thyme sprigs for decoration

# Preparation steps:

01 - Place dark cherries, plum wedges, and purple grapes on a large serving platter, grouping each fruit distinctly to enhance visual appeal.
02 - Position sliced or crumbled black-ashed goat cheese alongside the arranged fruits.
03 - Optionally sprinkle toasted walnuts over the platter and drizzle lightly with honey to add sweetness.
04 - Decorate the platter with fresh thyme sprigs for a fragrant finishing touch.
05 - Present immediately, allowing guests to combine flavors as desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in minutes yet impresses like you've spent hours planning.
  • The tartness of goat cheese against sweet fruit hits a flavor note that just feels sophisticated somehow.
  • Works equally well as an appetizer, a light dessert, or that elegant something you bring to a gathering.
02 -
  • Temperature matters more than you'd think—pull the goat cheese from the fridge just before assembling so it's cool but not rock hard, which keeps it creamy on the palate.
  • Over-arranging kills the charm; the best platters look effortless even though you've thought carefully about placement.
03 -
  • Buy your goat cheese from a source where you can actually see what you're getting—texture and creaminess vary, and the right wedge makes a real difference.
  • Halving grapes rather than leaving them whole changes how they taste on the palate and looks more intentional on the board.
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