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Dazzle friends and family this holiday season with a fabulous Cheese Board Christmas Tree that everyone will love. Featuring puff pastry braids, three different cheeses, and fruit, it’s a fun (not to mention delicious) way to be festive.
Serve the tree as an appetizer at a Christmas party or as an after-dinner treat on the big day. You can even make a smaller version to share with a loved one as a snack.
Feel free to customize the cheese and fruit. You can even add cured meats and nuts (check out my tree charcuterie board for more ideas). Enjoy!
Cheese Board Tree Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Cheese: I use Manchego, Cheddar, and Comte.
- Puff pastry: You will need a rectangular sheet for this recipe. Keep the pastry cool until you are ready to prepare it.
- Kiwi: Use firm kiwis. They are delicious paired with the bold cheese.
- Mango: For the best mango, it should be firm with a slight give at the top.
- Rosemary: To garnish.
How to Make a Christmas Tree Cheese Board
- Shape the puff pastry tree: Cut the pastry into long strips. Braid three strips together. Arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Brush with heavy cream and bake til golden (see photos below).
- Prepare the cheese and fruit: Cube the cheese, slice the peeled kiwis, and cut a piece of mango into a star.
- Assemble: Place the baked pastry tree on a serving platter. Fill the tree with the cheese and kiwi. Top the tree with the mango star.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep the puff pastry cold before preparing. This makes it easier to work with.
- Dice the cheese into similar-sized cubes.
- Serve the tree on a large cutting board or a platter. A tree-shaped platter would be perfect!
Possible Variations
- Cheese: Use any hard cheese you like.
- Kiwi: Grapes, apples, strawberries, plums, apricots, etc, will all make great alternatives, or use a selection of fruits to add variety.
- Mango: Yellow pepper would work, or use a star-shaped bowl and top it with honey.
- Pastry: Try storebought crescent rolls, pizza dough, or shape the tree from rectangular crackers.
- Make it a dessert: Sprinkle the puff pastry tree with powdered sugar and swap the cheese for your favorite festive treats.
- Double up: This board serves 8-10 people, but feel free to make a larger tree if serving a crowd.
FAQs
Yes, bake it a few hours before serving and let it cool completely.
Add the cheese to your next salad, and top the kiwi onto a yogurt bowl, or freeze it to add to your next smoothie. The puff pastry makes a tasty snack (try it with peanut butter and jam ).
Yes! You can take two strips of pastry and twist them together.
Other Festive Boards
Cheese Board Christmas Tree
Equipment
Ingredients
- 140 grams puff pastry
- 100 grams Comte
- 100 grams cheddar, mature
- 60 grams Manchego
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream, or egg wash
- 4 kiwis, peeled
- 1/2 mango
- 8 sprigs rosemary, small
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392℉).
- Roll out your puff pastry and cut into 1/3 inch strips.
- Press three strips of pastry together at one end, and braid all the way down.
- Fold the ends underneath the braid.
- Repeat until you have four braids.
- Assemble the braids into a Christmas tree shape.
- Brush with heavy cream.
- Bake the tree for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Allow to cool.
- Slice the mango, and cut out the star with the cookie cutter.
- Cube the cheese into similar sized pieces.
- Slice the peeled kiwi, then halve each slice.
- Arrange the cheese and kiwi inside the tree.
- Place the kiwi halves around the outer edge of the tree.
- Top with the rosemary sprigs and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
