I made my cheese board using cheeses sent to me on a complimentary basis by the Welsh Cheese Company. Several of the other ingredients used on my cheese board were also sent to me on a complimentary basis for the purposes of reviewing or featuring on my blog; where this is the case, it has been clearly indicated.
After my blog post on seasonal ideas for autumn cheese boards went down so well, I’ve created a Christmas cheese board using a selection of cheeses kindly sent to me for review by The Welsh Cheese Company.
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Forget unwrapping presents around the Christmas tree, eating your body weight in chocolate before lunch, or falling asleep in front of the telly after dinner. When Christmas comes around, there’s genuinely no way I’d rather spend my time than by feasting on a festive cheese board. Christmas dinner aside, tucking into a Christmas cheese board is my favourite festive pastime.
Luckily for me, The Welsh Cheese Company got in touch recently and asked if I’d be up for using some of their artisan Welsh cheeses to craft a festive cheese board. After the success of the autumn cheese board I shared last month, I’d already been considering rustling up a Christmas version, so it was perfect timing.
Established in 2017, The Welsh Cheese Company is based in Taff’s Well, near Cardiff. Committed to showcasing and raising the profile of fine Welsh cheese, they stock over 60 fine Welsh cheeses made by 15 different artisanal producers, in the form of both individual truckles and wedges, alongside cheese hampers, gift baskets, cheese subscriptions, cheese board selections, accompaniments, and even cheese wedding cakes.
What is typically on a cheese board?
The average cheese board normally includes a variety of cheeses, with different textures and tastes. Generally, I like to include at least one aged, one blue, one soft and one hard cheese.
Typical cheese or charcuterie board accompaniments include bread and/or crackers; chutneys, jams and/or relishes; fresh fruit like grapes, figs or apples; fresh veg like celery, tomatoes, or cucumber; nuts; seeds; salty, briny foods like olives or assorted charcuterie, and pickles.
While it’s not obligatory, many people (myself included) like to enjoy a glass of wine with cheese, with sweet or full-bodied red wines making for popular options. For an alcohol-free alternative, try zero alcohol wine or even sparkling teas.
How much cheese should I allow per person?
Generally speaking, the best cheese boards include around 3-4 different cheeses, at least. Aim for a range of flavours and textures, to add variety and cater to different tastes.
The question of how much cheese to use on your cheese board will depend on whether you’re serving your cheese board as a light starter or appetiser, or as a main meal or buffet, plus how many people you’ll be feeding.
Usually, around 85-100g cheese per person works out about right, but there are no hard and fast rules here; it all depends on how hungry you are! Everyone knows there’s no such thing as too much cheese at Christmas time, anyway.
What is the most popular cheese at Christmas?
While I usually include at least one aged, blue, soft and hard cheese on all my cheese boards, when I’m creating a Christmas cheese board, there are a few festive options I usually consider.
You could go for either of the following:
- A white-rinded, soft cheese like Brie or Camembert (essential components of a Christmas cheese board for me!)
- A hard crowd-pleasing cheese, such as a quality Cheddar or French Comte
- Strong blue cheeses – blue cheese really comes into its own over Christmas, especially classic stilton. In fact, I think I’d be inclined to include more blue cheese than usual on a festive cheese board.
- A creamy goats’ cheese – always enjoyable, but especially so during the festive season
- Festive flavoured cheeses, like cheese paired with apricots, brandy, whiskey, or cranberry, for example. Personally, I despise these kinds of cheeses, but I know some people who like to include them on Christmas cheese boards. That said, I’m incredibly partial to truffle Brie!
What cheeses should I use on my Christmas cheese board?
In creating my Christmas cheese board, I’ve used a selection of fine artisan Welsh cheeses sourced via The Welsh Cheese Company.
The Welsh Cheese Company’s Medium Welsh Cheeseboard Selection
The Welsh Cheese Company invited me to choose one of their cheese board selections to use in creating my Christmas cheese board. Available in a range of sizes priced from £22.95 to £59.50, The Welsh Cheese Company’s cheese selections include a carefully chosen variety of Welsh cheeses.
Free delivery is available on all orders above £45 being sent to a single address, and all cheeses sent after 10th December will have best-before dates that fall after Christmas.
I opted for the Medium Welsh Cheeseboard Selection (£39.50), which includes an excellent variety of cheeses, as follows:
Snowdonia Cheese Black Bomber 400g
A generous portion of Snowdonia Cheese’s multi award-winning Extra Mature Cheddar – a creamy cheddar with a sharp tang, guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face this Christmas.
Caws Cenarth Brie 200g/ Angiddy Brie 200g
While The Welsh Cheese Co’s Medium Welsh Cheeseboard Selection currently includes Brooke Dairy’s Angiddy Brie, my box included Caws Cenarth Brie instead. Featured on last month’s autumnal cheese board, this is one of my favourite Welsh cheese producers, so I was happy with the substitution – just be mindful that any forthcoming orders are likely to include Angiddy Brie.
Smooth and creamy Caws Cenarth Brie has a chalky interior which tends to soften and move away from the rind as it matures. The closer the cheese gets to its use-by date, the stronger its flavours become.
Caws Rhyd y Delyn Mon Las Anglesey Blue 200g
Produced on Caws Rhyd y Delyn, a family-run dairy farm on the Isle of Anglesey, this velvety, rich blue cheese is made using pasteurised cow’s milk from a herd of Holstein Fresians, bred on the same farm that makes the cheese.
Croome Cuisine Y Fenni 150g
Formerly produced by The Abergavenny Fine Food Company, this iconic Welsh cheese is now made by the Worcester-based Croome Cuisine, who bought the recipe earlier this year after its former owner ceased production.
When I was a child, I used to buy this cheese from the village cheesemonger whenever I visited the Museum of Welsh Life in St. Fagan’s with my Mum, so it brings back nostalgic memories for me.
This creamy Welsh cheddar is peppered with wholegrain mustard seeds and infused with ale for a piquant flavour finish.
If you’ve got any Y Fenni cheese leftover after making your Christmas cheese board, it tastes wonderful in a traditional Welsh rarebit.
Caws Cenarth Golden Cenarth 200g
Quite possibly one of my favourite Welsh cheeses of all, Caws Cenarth Cheese’s Golden Cenarth also featured on last month’s autumnal cheese board.
A semi-soft cheese with a cider-washed rind, Golden Cenarth has a distinctively pungent smell, with a pleasant, nutty flavour.
For a festive finish, I’ve served my Golden Cenarth warm, heated in the oven (in its little wooden crate) on 200°c for 20 minutes; it’s ideal for dunking breadsticks and crackers into! However, it tastes just as good served at room temperature, cut into wedges.
The Abergavenny Fine Foods Co. Pant Ys Gawn 125g
Produced by the former maker of Y Fenni Cheese, The Abergavenny Fine Foods Co., and named after their farm, Pant ys Gawn is a fresh, silky goats’ cheese with a slightly salty, lemony flavour.
Spread generously onto your favourite bread or crackers, and enjoy!
What do you put on a Christmas cheese board, besides cheese?
So, how we can give our cheese boards a festive makeover for Christmas? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Bread and/or crackers
Crackers are a quintessential component of any cheese board. For a Christmas cheese board, you might like to keep things traditional with some time-old classics like Jacob’s Cream Crackers or Carr’s Table Water Biscuits.
Personally, however, I usually opt for crackers flavoured with seasonal ingredients for a Christmas cheese board. If you’ve got a large family, you could opt for a selection box to save money.
I’ve opted for some Pear & Earl Grey Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits for my Christmas cheese board. Produced in Brecon, these are also available to buy on The Welsh Cheese Company’s website here.
I also added a few sesame breadsticks, purchased from a local supermarket.
Charcuterie and assorted meats
While you don’t necessarily need to include any charcuterie or meat on a Christmas cheese board, if you’re going all out, here’s some inspiration on what to include.
Festive charcuterie
I’ve used a range of charcuterie on my Christmas cheese board, including Trealy Farm Charcuterie’s fennel salami and air-dried Monmouthshire beef bresaola. Based in Pontypool, Trealy Farm have won numerous awards for their artisan charcuterie, and I previously mentioned them in my blog post on the south Wales food and drink scene, written in partnership with Food and Drink Wales.
Being a big chorizo fan, I couldn’t resist including some on my Christmas cheese board. I went for an extra spicy chorizo ring, kindly sent to me recently by none other than the Consortium of Spanish Chorizo.
I also used some German Brunswick salami to create a salami rose. Since I first started making these last month, I can’t imagine making a cheese board without them (discover how to make a salami rose below!). This smoky, peppered salami is ideal for a festive cheese board.
Festive cooked meats
Being as it’s Christmas, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like pigs-in-blankets, I’ve included some Edwards of Conwy’s bacon-wrapped honey and rosemary pork chipolatas on my Christmas cheese board, too. You can buy these via the We Are Edwards website. If you have any leftover, try out my pigs-in-blankets toad-in-the-hole recipe!
Further ideas for charcuterie and assorted meats for a Christmas cheese board could include:
- Roast gammon
- Leftover Christmas dinner meats, including stuffing balls
- Pâté – look out for festive flavours – duck and orange is my fave!
Fresh and dried fruit
Whatever the occasion, I always include a choice of fresh and dried fruit on my cheese boards; it’s all about balance, right?
Typically, I opt for grapes, fresh figs and dates most of the time, but for a Christmas cheese board, I aim to include seasonal, festive produce.
Here’s what I used:
- Clementines, with their glossy green leaves still intact – they’ll look lovely on your cheese board!
- Persimmons – ripe persimmons are sweet and juicy, with a flavour similar to that of honey, and a texture alike that of apricots
- Sugared cranberries – fresh cranberries are bitter and tart, but sugaring them really helps to take the edge off, and they’re SO easy to make! Simply coat them in a mixture of water and sugar, leave them to dry for an hour, and roll them in sugar.
- Red grapes – for me, grapes belong on all cheese boards, whatever the season
- Medjool dates – I put some of these gooey, caramel-flavoured dates on my autumn cheese board, and I still can’t get enough of them.
Fresh veggies
While I’ve focused more on fresh fruit, you could include a few veggies on your cheese board too, if you like.
Festive veggie additions for a Christmas cheese board include:
- Leftover roast potatoes (if I had any, they definitely would’ve gone onto my board!)
- Leftover sprouts – thread them onto cocktail sticks
- Celery sticks – a classic cheese board ingredient
Briny accompaniments
Wet, salty foods like olives tend to shine on a cheese board, while some also enjoy the intense saltiness of anchovies, and the richness of oily, sun-dried tomatoes.
I’ve left briny accompaniments off my cheese board on this occasion, as the amount of charcuterie I used meant that my board was already fairly salty.
Nuts and/or seeds
Adding nuts and seeds to a cheese board is a wonderful way to introduce texture and variety, while also filling in any gaps or spaces between your ingredients.
I’ve used honey-roasted peanuts and cashews on my cheese board, as I didn’t have much space left to fill by the time it came to add my nuts.
You could consider using any of the following nuts on your Christmas cheese board, although this isn’t an exhaustive list – go for what you know you’ll enjoy best!
- Chestnuts
- Walnuts
- Pecan nuts
- Pine nuts
- Monkey nuts
You could also consider whizzing up some nuts to form a festive dip or hummus. I rustled up a bowl of Barney Desmazery’s chestnut hummus for my Christmas cheese board but, alas, I ran out of space to fit it on; I think Santa needs to bring me a bigger cheese board!
Chutneys, jams and pickles
I generally recommend including one to two chutneys, jams or pickles on any cheese board, depending on how many people you’ll be feeding and whether anyone has any personal taste preferences.
Classic cheese board chutneys include caramelised red onion, tomato and fig, but you’ll find a selection of festive flavours available at this time of year, featuring seasonal ingredients like cranberry, orange, apple, shallot and apricot.
I opted for Usk River’s award-winning Rhubarb, Fig & Ginger chutney, made in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, which I picked up while on a festive trip to Usk, from the deli at 57 Bridge Street last month.
For a festive touch, you could also include:
- Piccallili – the ultimate British pickle – a luminous yellow concoction of pickled veggies in vinegar, mustard and spices
- Pickled red cabbage
- Pickled walnuts
- Pickled onions
- Chilli jam
- Bacon jam
- Any other festive chutneys, pickles or jams that take your fancy – if you have time, you could even make your own!
Crisps and other snacks
If you happen to have any more space left to fill on your cheese board, adding some crisps or snacks is another great way to add some crunch to your board.
As it’s Christmas, I’ve gone for Aldi’s Star-Shaped Pretzel Stars. They look great on my Christmas cheese board and their subtle, salty flavour means they pair well with all the different flavours on my board.
Festive-shaped crisps and snacks can be fun and look visually appealing too, but if you can’t find any, look for festive flavours instead. Think roast turkey and stuffing, roast beef and mustard, or even pigs-in-blankets flavoured crisps. KP Cheese Footballs and Twiglets are proper festive favourites in my house, too!
And, why stop at crisps? Savoury pastries also work well on festive cheeseboards. My venison sausage rolls are just the thing for this time of year, but for something a little more festive, try these pork and cranberry sausage rolls.
How do you assemble a Christmas cheese board?
As cheese is best served at room temperature, before you begin assembling any cheese board, the very first thing you’ll need to do is to remove the cheese from the fridge.
Most cheeses require at least one hour of resting as a bare minimum, although fresh cheeses may only need around half an hour or so. Personally, I usually allow my cheeses to come up to room temperature for a couple of hours before using them.
Step-by-step DIY Christmas cheese board
- Before you begin assembling your cheese board, consider what kind of board you’ll need to use.
How big will your board need to be? How many people will you be feeding, will it be a light snack or a full meal, and how much food do you have to go on it?
Consider the material of the board too – ceramic, stone or marble boards are often better choices if you need the food to stay fresh, as it ensures it retains a cooler temperature.
Some people like to use festive-themed boards to make their Christmas cheese boards, like boards shaped like wreaths or Christmas trees. - Once you’ve chosen your board, begin adding the cheeses to it. You could slice them up into equal portions and arrange them on the board or, alternatively, leave them whole so people can cut their own cheese.
- Next, arrange any large or bulky items on your cheese board. Think chutneys, jams, relishes, dips and whole fruit (but don’t cut up apples, pears or any fruit that’s likely to brown just yet – leave them whole, to keep them fresh).. Don’t be afraid to move things around and tuck different items under and over each other, if need be.
- Now, we’re ready to move on to any meat or charcuterie you’ll be using. Since I discovered how easy it is to make a salami rose, I can’t imagine serving up salami in any other way. They’re so easy to make – just fold slices of salami around the edge of a wine glass continuously, then invert the glass, carefully remove it from the salami and, voila, you have a salami rose! Take a look at the video below to see just how easy it is.
One thing to bear in mind when making a salami rose, is that it tends to work better with larger pieces of salami (although you can use a smaller glass for smaller pieces, as long as the slices are thin enough to fold properly) and you’ll probably need to use around 100-125g for each rose. - By now, your Christmas cheese board should be looking pretty full. This is a great time to add any small ingredients to the board, like nuts, seeds, berries, and anything else you can use to fill in any gaps, while also introducing texture and variety to the board.
- Finally, add the finishing touches in the form of cheese knives, forks, and spoons for any chutneys, relishes or jams.
- This final step is optional, but it makes a big visual impact. Once your cheese board is assembled, consider decorating the border with festive foliage, berries, pine cones and dried fruit slices. I picked up a festive bouquet from a local supermarket, along with some festive berries from the Flower Chapter in Cardiff Market, and I used them to decorate my Christmas cheese board for this photo.
While I must admit I don’t go to this same level of effort for all my Christmas cheese boards, it certainly makes for a stunning finish.
Can you make a cheese board the night before?
While I usually prefer to prepare my cheese boards fresh just before they’ll be eaten, it is possible to get a head-start on creating your Christmas cheese board the night before, if you’ll be short on time the next day. Once you’ve prepared your cheese board, wrap it in cling film or foil and place it into the fridge to keep cool.
Rather than cutting up the cheese in advance, I’d probably leave it whole and simply cut it up when you’re ready to eat the cheese board.
Just make sure you leave off the bread, crackers and nuts, as they may deteriorate overnight and become hard, soft or even soggy. Plus, if you’re planning on using fresh fruit that you’d normally slice up, like apples or pears, leave them whole until you’re ready to eat them, so they don’t turn brown.
What is the best material for a cheese board?
Most cheese boards are made from natural meals, with wooden and ceramic cheese boards being extremely common. However, marble and stone cheese boards are growing increasingly popular, as they can help to ensure the cheese is served at optimum temperature.
If you’re creating a Welsh cheese board, consider serving it on Welsh slate for a traditional touch.
How can I decorate or ‘style’ a Christmas cheese board?
Once you’ve finished putting your cheese board together, consider decorating the border with festive foliage, berries, pine cones and dried fruit slices. I bought a festive bouquet from a local supermarket, along with some festive berries from a local florist.
However, depending on where you live, you may also be able to forage locally for foliage.
After you’ve finished using the foliage to decorate your cheese board with, you could use it to create a stunning table centrepiece, so it doesn’t go to waste.
DIY Christmas Cheese Board: Step-By-Step Guide
Equipment
- Cheese board (a large wooden chopping board or plank will also do the trick)
- Cheese forks/knives
Ingredients
Cheese
- 100g Snowdonia Cheese Black Bomber
- 100g Caws Cenarth Brie
- 100g Caws Cenarth Golden Cenarth
- 100g Caws Rhys y Delyn 'Mon Las'
- 100g Y Fenni
- 100g g Abergavenny Fine Foods Co. Pant Ys Gawn
Charcuterie & meat
- 225 g chorizo (ring)
- 125 g German Brunswick salami
- 150 g Trealy Farm fennel salami
- 150 g Trealy Farm air-dried Monmouthshire beef bresaola
- 4-8 Edward's of Conwy Honey & Rosemary Chipolatas
Fresh & dried fruit
- 100 g sugared cranberries prepared in advance
- 1 small bunch seedless red grapes
- 4 Medjool dates
- 1-2 clementines leaves intact
- 1-2 persimmons
Chutneys
- 100 g chutney of your choice
Crackers
- 4 sesame breadsticks
- 80g Cradoc's Pear and Earl Grey crackers
Crisps
- 50 g Aldi Star-Shaped Pretzel Stars
Nuts
- 100g honey-roasted cashews and peanuts
Instructions
- Arrange your cheeses on the cheese board.
- Add the chorizo, salami and bresaola, followed by the pigs-in-blankets. You can create salami roses if you like (please refer to my blog post for more on this).
- Add the sugared cranberries, grapes, dates, persimmons and clementines.
- Add the chutney – transfer it into a small dish or bowl to take up less space.
- Add the crackers and breadsticks.
- Add the crisps, either in a separate bowl or scattered over the board.
- Finish by scattering nuts and seeds into any gaps and spaces remaining on your board, and drizzling a little honey over the board.
- Once your cheese board is assembled, decorate the border with festive foliage, berries, pine cones and dried fruit slices.
- Serve with cheese forks and knives on the side (not pictured) – not forgetting a generous glass of red wine or Port!
Video
Notes
- Make sure you read all of this blog post and not just this recipe widget, or you could miss out on important assembly info and ingredient tips!
- You’ll need to prepare the sugared cranberries in advance. This is incredibly easy, but here’s the recipe I used.
- Don’t be afraid to use different cheeses, but aim to include at least one aged cheese, one blue cheese, one soft cheese and one hard cheese.
- Experiment with different seasonal ingredients and accompaniments to find out what works best for you. Find more suggestions in this blog post.
- Check out the video I’ve added to this recipe widget to discover how easy it is to make salami roses!
- Always add the cheeses to the cheese board first, then work around them.
- If you’re using apples, pears or any other produce that could brown or spoil, add these last to ensure they stay fresh.
- Finish with the smallest ingredients, like nuts, seeds and crisps – use them to fill in any gaps or spaces remaining on your cheese board.
- When it comes to decorating your Christmas cheese board, you could forage for festive foliage locally or consider investing in a festive bouquet from a local florist. Once you’ve finished using it to decorate your cheese board, you could use it to make a beautiful table centrepiece too.
Nutrition
Can you think of any other essential ingredients for a festive Christmas cheese board? Comment below to let me know.
Order your artisan Welsh cheeses from The Welsh Cheese Company by Wednesday 22nd December, for delivery in time for Christmas Day!
I have linked this recipe to #CookBlogShare, run by Sisley & Chloe which was hosted by Sisley at sewwhite.com.
I made my cheese board using cheeses sent to me on a complimentary basis by the Welsh Cheese Company. Several of the other ingredients used on my cheese board were also sent to me on a complimentary basis for the purposes of reviewing or featuring on my blog; where this is the case, it has been clearly indicated.
Love how dxetailed this tutorial is! It’s perfect for our holiday party! Thank you!
Thanks Shadi! So glad to hear you think you’ll be able to make use of these tips over the festive season 🙂
terrific step by step I remember this in the 60s mom would make what a great memory!
Aww that’s lovely 🙂 Glad you found the step-by-step guide useful too.
I love the cheeses included in this cheese board, especially when combined with the chorizo and salami! Yum!
Thank you Michele! I love a good charcuterie platter too. Quality cheese makes a big difference.
What a beautiful cheese board. The Welsh cheeses look and sound amazing too.
Thanks Andrea! 😀 Glad you like the look of it and I’m sure you’d LOVE these Welsh cheeses.
We do like a good cheese board in our house for Christmas, it is the only time we really indulge in cheese. I got some nice ones yesterday with cranberries and Cointreau in. Yummy!
I do like cheese with cranberries, but I normally steer clear of the usual festive cheeses, although I like festive flavoured crackers. 🙂
Oh this honestly looks so good . We love cheese and meat boards . This would go down such a treat in our house
Thanks Kira, lovely to hear you the like the look of my festive cheese board! 😀
Wow, this looks absolutely amazing. I adore cheese and this would do me very nicely for boxing day and the rest of Christmas really!
#CookBlogShare
Thank you, so glad to hear you like the look of my festive cheeseboard! 😀