Celtic Cross Cheese Platter (Printable Version)

Cheeses arranged in four quadrants with a central dip, complemented by fruits, nuts, and crackers.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cheeses

01 - 3.5 oz Irish cheddar, cubed
02 - 3.5 oz Brie, sliced
03 - 3.5 oz Blue cheese, crumbled
04 - 3.5 oz Manchego, sliced

→ Central Dip

05 - 5.3 oz sour cream or Greek yogurt
06 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
07 - 1 tsp lemon juice
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Accompaniments

09 - 2.8 oz seedless red grapes
10 - 2.8 oz dried apricots
11 - 1.8 oz walnuts
12 - 1.8 oz honey

→ Crackers & Bread

13 - 3.5 oz rustic crackers
14 - 1 small baguette, sliced

# Directions:

01 - Combine sour cream or Greek yogurt with chopped chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Transfer into a small round bowl.
02 - Place the dip bowl at the center of a large, round serving platter.
03 - Visually divide the platter into four quadrants and arrange each cheese type attractively in its own section around the dip.
04 - Fill the spaces between cheese quadrants with grapes, dried apricots, and walnuts to add color and texture contrast.
05 - Drizzle honey lightly over the blue cheese quadrant to complement its flavor.
06 - Position rustic crackers and baguette slices evenly around the perimeter of the platter.
07 - Present immediately, ensuring cheeses are at room temperature to maximize flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks so impressive that guests think you spent hours preparing when it really takes about twenty minutes.
  • Four completely different cheeses mean there's something for every palate, from creamy to sharp to bold.
  • The structured arrangement keeps things from looking chaotic, so even a casual gathering feels intentional and elegant.
02 -
  • If you arrange this platter more than an hour before guests arrive, cover it loosely with plastic wrap to keep it fresh but don't refrigerate it—the condensation will make everything weep.
  • Room temperature changes everything: cold cheese tastes flat and rubbery, but cheese that's warmed up by the room becomes creamy, complex, and actually worth eating slowly.
  • Buy whole wheels and cut them yourself if possible; pre-sliced cheese dries out and tastes thin compared to what you slice fresh.
03 -
  • Buy your cheese two days before and let it sit in your kitchen at room temperature the night before you serve it—this develops flavor in ways that cold storage never will.
  • The honey trick works on any platter: warm it, drizzle it thin, and suddenly everything looks like it came from a restaurant kitchen instead of your hands.
Go Back