Whimsical board with owl-shaped crackers, cheeses, fresh fruits, nuts, and herbal garnishes for easy entertaining.
# What You Need:
→ Owl Crackers
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
07 - 1/4 cup cold water
08 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for decoration
09 - 12 whole black peppercorns or sliced black olives for eyes
→ Cheeses
10 - 3.5 oz Brie, sliced
11 - 3.5 oz aged Gouda, sliced
12 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
13 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
→ Fruits & Nuts
14 - 1 small bunch seedless grapes
15 - 1 small apple, thinly sliced
16 - 1 small pear, thinly sliced
17 - 1/2 cup dried apricots
18 - 1/2 cup walnuts
19 - 1/2 cup roasted almonds
→ Garnishes
20 - Fresh rosemary sprigs
21 - Edible flowers (optional)
# Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Incorporate cold butter by rubbing it with fingertips until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the grated cheddar cheese. Gradually add cold water, mixing until a soft dough forms. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness and cut owl shapes using a cookie cutter or knife. Decorate with sesame seeds for feathers and place black peppercorns or olive slices for eyes. Arrange crackers on the baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool completely.
02 - On a large serving board or platter, arrange the sliced and crumbled cheeses in distinct sections. Distribute the cooled owl crackers among the cheeses. Add clusters of sliced apple, pear, seedless grapes, dried apricots, walnuts, and roasted almonds around the board. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and edible flowers to evoke a forest theme.
