Whimsical Nuts Seeds Cheese (Printable Version)

An eye-catching nut and seed maze culminating in a decadent cheese center for elegant gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Nuts

01 - 1.41 oz raw almonds
02 - 1.41 oz roasted cashews
03 - 1.41 oz shelled pistachios
04 - 1.41 oz pecan halves
05 - 1.41 oz hazelnuts

→ Seeds

06 - 1.06 oz pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
07 - 1.06 oz sunflower seeds
08 - 0.71 oz black sesame seeds
09 - 0.71 oz white sesame seeds
10 - 0.71 oz flaxseeds

→ The Prize Cheese

11 - 6.35 oz wheel of soft-ripened cheese (Brie, Camembert, or vegan alternative)

→ Optional Accents

12 - 2 tbsp dried cranberries or cherries
13 - 2 tbsp fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary)
14 - 1 tbsp honey or agave (for drizzling)

# How To Make It:

01 - Lightly mark a winding labyrinth pattern on a large serving platter or board using a pencil, if desired for precision.
02 - Place single-file lines of nuts and seeds along the sketched path, alternating varieties to create visual and textural contrast.
03 - Continue arranging the labyrinth path, spiraling or winding it toward the center of the board.
04 - Set the soft-ripened cheese wheel at the labyrinth’s center as a focal point.
05 - Decorate the cheese with fresh herbs and drizzle with honey or agave syrup, if preferred.
06 - Scatter dried fruit in any gaps to enhance color and flavor.
07 - Present with small forks or cocktail picks, inviting guests to navigate the labyrinth to the cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a simple cheese board into an interactive experience that keeps guests entertained and delighted.
  • The visual impact alone makes people reach for their phones before reaching for the cheese, making it Instagram-worthy without trying too hard.
  • It's completely customizable to whatever nuts, seeds, or cheeses you have on hand, so there's zero pressure to source exotic ingredients.
02 -
  • Don't arrange this more than an hour before serving—nuts and seeds will absorb moisture from the air and lose their crunch, and the whole visual impact suffers if everything starts looking dull and soft.
  • If you're worried about the path washing away under the inevitable wandering of party hands, accept it gracefully and keep small bowls of extra nuts and seeds nearby for quick touch-ups.
  • The pencil sketch will fade once you start placing ingredients, so don't stress about perfection—guests won't see the plan anyway, only the beautiful result.
03 -
  • Lay out all your ingredients in small bowls before you start arranging so you can work quickly and see your full palette at a glance—this prevents last-minute scrambling and keeps the board from drying out.
  • If your cheese is too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before placing it; soft-ripened cheese should yield slightly to pressure, not crack when sliced by guests.
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