Cheese And Dried Fruit: A Perfect Pairing Guide

Creating a fruit and cheese board is a great way to impress your guests. The beauty of making a fruit and cheese platter is that you get to customise it with your favourite fruits and cheeses. Dried fruit is a great addition to a cheese board, and there are many types of dried fruit that can be paired with cheese. For example, dried apricots, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, persimmons, prunes, raisins, and sultanas all work well.

What dried fruits go well with cheese?

Dried fruit is a great addition to a cheese board, and there are many types of dried fruit that can be paired with cheese. Here are some ideas for dried fruits that go well with cheese:

• Dried apricots are a wonderful choice and pair well with goat cheese and blue cheese.
• Dried cherries go well with brie, camembert, or goat cheese.
• Dried cranberries pair well with herbed or berry goat cheese.
• Dried figs go well with manchego cheese or fresh mozzarella.
• Dates are super sweet and pair well with stronger-flavoured cheeses like goat cheese.
• Prunes are perfect for pairing with strong, salty cheeses.
• Sultanas or golden raisins are a bright addition to a cheese board and can be paired with most cheeses.
• Dried Calimyrna figs are lighter in colour and preferred over the black Mission figs.
• Raisins are a classic dried fruit option that can be paired with a variety of cheeses.

When creating a cheese board, it is recommended to include a mixture of fresh and dried fruits, crackers, bread, cured meats, and sweet and savoury spreads. Odd numbers of each item are visually appealing, and colour contrasts, such as red grapes with green pears, add beauty and variety to the board.

What fresh fruits go well with cheese?

When creating a fruit and cheese board, it is important to consider the different types of cheese and fruit available, as well as how they complement each other. Here are some tips and suggestions for creating a delicious and visually appealing fruit and cheese board:

Fresh Fruits that Complement Different Cheeses:

• Apples go well with almost any cheese, especially stronger flavours like Gruyere, sharp cheddar, and crumbly cheeses. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Gala apples are great choices, and a drizzle of honey or fig jam can enhance the pairing.
• Pears are a good match for most cheeses, especially Brie and Gouda. Try Bosc, D'Anjou, Barlett, or Comice varieties for a tasty combination.
• Persimmons, with their sweet and mild flavour, pair well with soft cheeses like goat cheese, Burrata, or Camembert. They add a beautiful pop of orange colour to the board.
• Berries, including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, are fantastic with a variety of cheeses. They go especially well with feta, Brie, and goat cheese.
• Grapes are a classic choice for fruit and cheese boards. They pair well with Gouda, but can also be enjoyed with other cheeses.
• Apricots, both fresh and dried, are a great choice. They complement goat cheese and blue cheese particularly well.
• Plums are bold and sweet, making them a good match for strong and salty cheeses like Manchego or Fontina.
• Pomegranates have a sweet-tart flavour and add a burst of colour to the board. They pair beautifully with goat cheese, feta, or Swiss cheese.
• Dates are intensely sweet and work well with stronger flavoured cheeses like goat cheese.
• Figs, both fresh and dried, pair well with a variety of cheeses. Try them with Manchego, Brie, or blue cheese for a tasty treat.
• Oranges, especially blood oranges, add a striking touch to the board. They go well with Brie, enhancing the salty creaminess of the cheese.

Additional Tips for Creating a Delicious Fruit and Cheese Board:

• Think seasonally when choosing fruits. In winter, go for sliced persimmons, pears, apples, and pomegranate quarters, along with dried fruits. In summer, berries and stone fruits like plums or cherries are excellent choices.
• Consider a variety of cheeses with different textures, shapes, and strengths. Include at least one familiar cheese that most people will recognize and enjoy.
• Aim for odd numbers of cheeses and vary the shapes, such as including something wedge-shaped, circular, and cubed or sliced.
• Offer a variety of fruits, both fresh and dried, to create a colourful and appetizing display.
• Include something salty, such as nuts, olives, mustard, or cured meats, to balance the sweetness of the fruit.
• Add something sweet, like honey, glazed nuts, or dark chocolate, to enhance the flavours.
• Provide an assortment of crackers, bread, or crunchy breadsticks for a textural contrast.
• Use a visually appealing board, such as a large wooden cutting board or a marble or slate surface.
• Arrange the items attractively, using colour contrasts and geometric shapes to create a pleasing display.
• Bring the cheese to room temperature before serving to enhance the flavour and allow the cheese to be easily spread.

What are the best cheeses for a cheese board?

When creating a cheese board, it's important to consider taste, texture, and appearance. A mixture of textures, shapes, and strengths is ideal. It's also a good idea to offer a variety of cheeses made from different types of milk, such as cow, goat, and sheep. Here are some of the best cheeses to include on your cheese board:

Brie or Camembert

Brie is a soft, mild cheese with a creamy texture and an white, edible rind. It is often sold in wedges or rounds and is a popular choice for cheese boards as it pairs well with many different fruits, including apples, pears, cherries, figs, strawberries, and dates. Camembert has a similar texture and flavour to Brie, but with a slightly stronger taste. It is recommended to choose either Brie or Camembert for a cheese board, but not both, as they are quite similar.

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Parmigiano-Reggiano, also known as Parmesan cheese, is a famous Italian cheese known for its sharp, nutty flavour. It is often sliced into wedges and served on a cheese board. This cheese pairs well with fruits such as figs, pears, and dates, as well as cured meats, honey, and nuts.

Burrata or Fresh Mozzarella

Burrata is a unique cheese with an outer layer made from mozzarella and an inner layer made from stracciatella and cream, resulting in a super soft texture. It pairs well with peaches or figs. Fresh mozzarella, on the other hand, is a soft, creamy cheese with a mild flavour. It pairs well with Italian cured meats, olives, and olive oil.

White Sharp Cheddar

White cheddar has a creamy texture and pairs well with apples, nuts, dates, honey, grapes, French bread, pears, and walnuts. It has a beautiful white colour that can add visual appeal to the cheese board.

Mild Cheddar

Mild cheddar is a versatile and universally appealing cheese. It pairs well with green apples, walnuts, pecans, pears, honey, grapes, and dates. It is a safe choice for those who are not fond of intense cheeses.

Pepper Jack Cheese

Pepper Jack cheese is a creamy Monterey Jack cheese with added peppers for a nice kick of spice. It pairs well with crackers, apples, honey, and pears. It's a great choice for those who enjoy a little heat.

Herbed or Berry Goat Cheese

Goat cheese is a soft, full-flavoured cheese that goes well with many different foods. It pairs well with French bread, crackers, almonds, apricots, green apples, cherries, pears, honey, grapes, and dried fruits such as cranberries and dates.

Gruyere Cheese

Gruyere is a traditional semi-soft Swiss cheese with a distinct flavour. It pairs well with dark chocolate, apples, cherries, and nuts such as hazelnuts and walnuts.

Gouda Cheese

Gouda is a semi-hard cheese from the Netherlands known for its rich, unique flavour and smooth texture. It pairs well with apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, and pears.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a creamy Italian blue cheese that tends to polarize people—they either love it or hate it. It pairs well with apples, honey, pears, almonds, figs, and candied walnuts.

Manchego Cheese

Manchego is a firm, buttery cheese from Spain with a rich, nutty flavour. It pairs well with figs, crusty bread, almonds, green olives, and cured meats such as prosciutto.

English Farmhouse or Irish Cheddar

English Farmhouse or Irish Cheddar is a semi-firm, fresh cheese with a rich flavour. It pairs well with honey, apricots, dates, apples, grapes, and candied nuts.

What else goes on a fruit and cheese platter?

When creating a fruit and cheese platter, it's important to consider taste, texture, and appearance. Here are some ideas for what else you can include besides fruit and cheese:

Charcuterie Meats

Salami, summer sausage, pepperoni, or other Italian cured meats can add a savoury, salty flavour to your platter.

Nuts

Roasted and salted nuts such as cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and walnuts can provide a crunchy texture to your platter.

Olives & Pickles

Offer a variety of olives such as pimento-stuffed green olives, dark kalamata olives, or cornichons (tart French pickles) from the deli section of your grocery store.

Dips, Sauces, or Spreads

Small servings of mustard, honey or honeycomb, unique jams, sour cherry preserves, or bacon jam can add interest and balance out flavours.

Bread and Crackers

Provide an assortment of crackers, bread, or crunchy breadsticks with different shapes and textures, such as buttery or seedy crackers. A French baguette sliced into thin slices is also a good choice.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate pairs well with many fruits and cheeses and can be a nice finishing touch to your platter.

How do you make a fruit and cheese platter look attractive?

A fruit and cheese platter is an excellent way to impress your guests and is perfect for entertaining at any time of the year. Here are some tips to make your platter look attractive and enticing:

Choose a Variety of Cheeses and Fruits:

Select an assortment of cheeses with different textures, shapes, strengths, and colours. Include some well-known cheeses, such as cheddar, and consider adding some unique options like gorgonzola or manchego. Offer a mix of soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses. For fruits, opt for a mix of fresh and dried options, ensuring you avoid overly juicy fruits like watermelon or peaches, which can make the platter soggy. Go for classic choices like apples, pears, and grapes, and add interest with more unusual selections such as persimmons, pomegranates, or blood oranges.

Create Visual Appeal:

When arranging your platter, aim for an overflowing look to make it more enticing. Use odd numbers of each item and play with geometric shapes to create visual interest. Colour contrasts, such as red grapes with green pears or green grapes with red pears, add beauty and variety. If you have a sparse board, try stacking or fanning out sliced fruit to create the illusion of fullness.

Pairing Fruits and Cheeses:

Consider pairing fruits and cheeses that complement each other. Sweet and succulent fruits work well with rich and savoury cheeses, creating a flavour contrast that enhances both. Fresh fruit matches well with fresh cheese, such as ricotta or chèvre. Sugar loves mould, so pair sweet fruits with bloomy rind or blue cheese. Balance intensities and seek complementary flavours, especially for semi-hard cheeses. Use fatty flavours to soften dry textures, as with hard cheeses. Avoid some common pitfalls, such as combining bitter and fresh flavours with bloomy rind cheeses or mixing high acidity with bitter flavours for soft, fresh cheeses.

Additional Items:

Include some extras to enhance the platter and create a well-rounded offering. Here are some suggestions:

• Something salty: Olives, cornichons, mustard, cured meats, or nuts can provide a savoury contrast.
• Something sweet: Jams, honey, or dark chocolate can add a touch of sweetness and pair well with both fruit and cheese.
• Bread and crackers: Offer a variety of textures and shapes, such as buttery crackers, seedy crackers, French baguette slices, pretzels, or breadsticks.
• Dips and spreads: Small jars or bowls of unique jams, honey, or mustard can add variety and balance out flavours.
• Garnishes: Rosemary sprigs, mint leaves, or fresh flowers can take your platter to the next level and add a pop of colour.

Presentation Tips:

When assembling your platter, start with larger items and cheeses, placing them in different corners of the board. Add a cheese knife next to each cheese to prevent flavour mixing. Fill in gaps with fruits, crackers, nuts, or other fillers. Use small bowls for dips and spreads, and separate fruits by colour and texture to create variety. An almost-overflowing board is more appealing, so don't be afraid to stack or pile items.

Frequently asked questions