Clockwork Orange Citrus Cheese (Printer View)

A colorful circular arrangement of citrus slices with creamy cheese accents and honey drizzle.

# What you'll need:

→ Citrus

01 - 1 large orange
02 - 1 blood orange
03 - 1 grapefruit
04 - 2 clementines
05 - 1 lemon
06 - 1 lime

→ Cheese

07 - 5.3 oz firm goat cheese or manchego
08 - 3.5 oz aged cheddar or gouda

→ Garnishes

09 - 2 tablespoons honey
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios or walnuts (optional)
11 - Fresh mint leaves (optional)
12 - Crackers or crusty bread, to serve

# Method:

01 - Slice all citrus fruits into thin, even rounds, removing seeds where necessary.
02 - Arrange the citrus slices in a circular pattern on a large round serving platter, alternating colors and placing one slice at each of the twelve hours on your clock.
03 - Cut the cheeses into long, narrow strips. Shape two pieces to represent clock hands and position them at the center indicating your chosen time.
04 - Drizzle honey over the cheese center and sprinkle with chopped pistachios or walnuts if desired.
05 - Garnish the platter with fresh mint leaves to enhance color and aroma.
06 - Serve immediately accompanied by crackers or crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly fancy but takes just twenty minutes, making you the kind of person who casually arranges cheese as art.
  • The mix of sweet, tart, and creamy keeps people reaching back to the board long after appetizers should be over.
  • You can make it ahead and adjust the cheese hands to different times as guests arrive—it's both practical and theatrical.
02 -
  • Slice your citrus no more than two hours before serving or they'll start to dry at the edges and lose their jewel-like appearance.
  • The cheese needs to be cold when you cut it or it'll smear instead of slice cleanly—pull it from the fridge ten minutes before you work with it, not longer.
  • If your platter is smaller than 12 inches, cut everything thinner or skip one type of citrus to avoid crowding.
03 -
  • A damp paper towel under your platter keeps it from sliding around while you arrange everything, and nobody will see it.
  • If you're nervous about the cheese hands breaking, you can cut them slightly thicker and they'll hold up just as well visually while being more forgiving to handle.
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