HOLIDAY DESSERT BOARD
A dessert board is a curated collection of sweet treats artfully assembled together on a serving platter. And few times of the year are more appropriate for one of these than our current holiday season. In my experience, the best way to build a great dessert board is to select a centerpiece then arrange supporting items to serve as compliment and contrast. For this board I’ve chosen to highlight Ghirardelli’s Peppermint Bark Squares. If you haven’t had them before, rectify that problem immediately—I can pretty much promise that upon first bite they’ll become one of your staple Christmastime treats.
Next, I go about gathering supporting items that amplify the Peppermint Bark’s flavors. They can do this either by going in the same direction—a compliment that deepens the taste of the squares—or by going in a different direction—a contrast that makes the squares more distinct. I added gingerbread men and ginger sandwich cookies as part of the latter, since their spicy bite is so much different than the sweet chocolate of the squares. This difference, however, makes one appreciate the squares so much more! Some hazelnut wafers and shortbread cookies compliment the squares with their gentle sweetness and buttery depth that enriches the flavors of anything eaten after. The chocolate peppermint stars compliment the peppermint bark squares in the most obvious way possible, while the little mini meringues delightfully raise the sweetness ceiling of the whole board. Red licorice is a lovely contrast, for while it’s sweet it’s also so fruity that the chocolate shines anew by comparison. Biscotti and marshmallows are contrasted with the squares due their wonderful textures—which are themselves contrasted with one another. Both, however, are perfect for your hot cocoa, for dipping and adorning respectively. Dutch caramel waffle cookies and Ghirardelli’s own Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares lend that unique sugary-buttery strength to the board for which caramel’s so well-known.
Amidst all these treats, the Peppermint Bark Squares are a constant delight. The layered milk and white chocolate are perfectly balanced, and the peppermint punch is refreshing without being overpowering. All assembled together, the total depth of a board like this is undeniably impressive and absolutely perfect for the holiday season. I encourage you to begin with one of Ghirardelli’s amazing offerings as a centerpiece, and build something great to share with your loved ones.
Holiday Dessert Board
Below I’ve summarized my dessert board building process into four simple steps:
Select a centerpiece around which you can assemble supporting items.
Gather together supporting items that serve as compliment and contrast to the centerpiece.
Focus on flavor. Similar flavors add amplification, different flavors add distinction.
Focus on texture. Similar textures add to the centerpiece’s strengths, while different textures bring some welcomed relief.
From here, just experiment until you find all your favorite combinations!
Thank you to Ghirardelli for sponsoring this post! As always all opinions are my own.