Description
A stunning gourmet charcuterie ballgown featuring elegant cheeses, flowing charcuterie ruffles, fruit jewels, nuts, and artisan crackers arranged into a spectacular centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
- 7 oz (200g) Aged Sharp Cheddar or Gouda, carved into wedges or fan-cut ribbons
- 8 oz (225g) Creamy Brie wheel, cut into a crown shape or sliced into gown tiers
- 5 oz (140g) Goat Cheese (chèvre), rolled in edible flower petals or crushed pistachios
- 6 oz (170g) Prosciutto di Parma, folded into delicate flowing ruffles
- 8 oz (225g) Genoa Salami, folded into salami roses or pleated gown ribbons
- 5 oz (140g) Sopressata or Capocollo, folded into cascading fans
- 1 cup Red and green seedless grapes, on the vine
- ½ cup Fresh figs or blackberries
- ½ cup Marinated pitted olives and cornichons, in small serving bowls
- â…“ cup Honeycomb or fig jam
- 1 cup Raw almonds and candied walnuts
- 1 large Artisan cracker assortment, seeded flatbreads and rosemary crispbreads
- Fresh rosemary sprigs and edible flowers, for gown embellishments
Instructions
- Position your base board or dress-frame form. Place small porcelain bowls or ramekins for wet items such as honey and olives along the top or side to anchor the frame of the gown layout.
- Anchor the bodice of the gown at the top-center using a wedge of Brie or neatly stacked Gouda slices. Fan out sliced Cheddar or Manchego horizontally across the waistline to establish the top boundary of the skirt.
- Fold prosciutto lengthwise and gently pinch it into sweeping fabric-like ruffles. Place folded salami slices overlapping in a continuous S-curve downwards to create a flowing, cascading ballgown skirt effect across the board.
- Fill all empty spaces within the skirt with clusters of dark grapes, fresh sliced figs, and bright blackberries to simulate embroidered gems. Tuck candied walnuts into gaps to secure meat folds.
- Tuck fresh rosemary sprigs around the hemline of the gown to look like delicate lace trim. Frame the outer edges with artisan crackers and serve at cool room temperature.
Notes
Arrange the cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and garnishes in flowing layers to create the elegant ballgown effect. Serve at cool room temperature for the best presentation.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 75mg