Gilded Hive Cheese Crackers (Print)

Visually striking cheese and cracker board featuring hexagon-cut pieces around a honeycomb centerpiece.

# Ingredients:

→ Cheeses

01 - 3.5 oz Manchego cheese
02 - 3.5 oz Aged cheddar
03 - 3.5 oz Gruyère
04 - 3.5 oz Brie
05 - 3.5 oz Blue cheese
06 - 3.5 oz Goat cheese log, sliced

→ Crackers

07 - 9 oz whole wheat crackers, large
08 - 9 oz seeded crackers

→ Honeycomb Center

09 - 3.5 oz edible honeycomb

→ Accompaniments

10 - 2 tablespoons runny honey
11 - 1/2 cup Marcona almonds
12 - 1/2 cup dried apricots
13 - 1/2 cup fresh grapes
14 - Fresh edible flowers or microgreens, optional

# Directions:

01 - Using a food-safe 2 to 3 inch hexagon-shaped cutter, slice all cheeses into neat hexagons. Chill softer cheeses such as Brie and goat cheese briefly for cleaner cuts.
02 - Lay out crackers and carefully trim into hexagonal shapes with the same cutter. Select intact pieces for presentation.
03 - Place the edible honeycomb at the center of your serving board.
04 - Arrange cheese hexagons around the honeycomb in a radiating circular pattern, alternating types for varied color and texture.
05 - Create concentric circles or rays around the cheeses using the hexagon-cut crackers.
06 - Fill gaps with Marcona almonds, dried apricots, and fresh grapes to balance color and texture.
07 - Drizzle runny honey over and around the honeycomb and cheeses to add gloss and sweetness.
08 - Garnish with edible flowers or microgreens if desired and serve immediately with cheese knives or spreaders.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours when it really takes just 35 minutes of focused prep.
  • Every single bite offers contrast—creamy next to crispy, sharp next to mild, in perfect small-bite proportions.
  • Your guests will photograph it before touching it, which somehow makes serving feel like an accomplishment.
02 -
  • A dull cutter is your enemy—if your hexagons look smashed rather than precise, your cutter needs replacing or sharpening, and yes it genuinely matters.
  • Arrange everything as close to serving time as possible; warm cheese loses its edge and flat crackers lose their crispness, and you want people experiencing it at its peak.
03 -
  • A clean, damp cloth between each cutter use prevents cheese residue from building up and compromising your next cut.
  • If your honeycomb piece is very hard, let it come to room temperature slightly so it doesn't feel like biting on actual wax—it should have a subtle chew and slight stickiness.
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