Polished Pebble Cheese Almonds (Print Version)

Smooth oval cheeses paired with roasted almonds create a visually stunning and flavorful starter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz oval-shaped mini mozzarella balls
02 - 7 oz oval goat cheese medallions or soft oval-shaped cheese
03 - 5.3 oz Babybel cheese, peeled and halved

→ Nuts

04 - 3.5 oz whole raw almonds

→ Garnishes

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
07 - Small handful fresh basil leaves
08 - Microgreens or edible flowers (optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the almonds on a baking tray and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once until golden and fragrant. Let them cool.
02 - Drain the mozzarella balls and goat cheese medallions. Pat them dry with paper towels to achieve a polished appearance.
03 - On a large serving platter or wooden board, arrange cheeses and roasted almonds in an organic, meandering pattern resembling a stream-bed of polished pebbles, alternating cheese types and almonds for visual variety.
04 - Lightly drizzle olive oil over the arrangement and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
05 - Decorate with fresh basil leaves, microgreens, and edible flowers for a natural garden-inspired presentation. Serve immediately with cocktail picks or small forks.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks impressive enough to make guests think you spent hours, but your actual hands-on time is laughably short.
  • The contrast between creamy cheese and crunchy roasted almonds hits in the best way, especially with that flaky salt catching your teeth.
  • It works for fancy dinner parties or casual Friday wine nights without any adjustment needed.
02 -
  • The drying step isn't optional—wet cheese won't hold that beautiful polished appearance and will slide around on the board like it's actually on a stream.
  • Room temperature is your friend here; cheese straight from the fridge tastes muted and won't have that creamy, luscious texture that makes people close their eyes when they eat it.
03 -
  • Arrange everything about 30 minutes before serving so guests encounter everything at the perfect temperature—cold enough to taste fresh but not so cold that the cheese has lost its creamy character.
  • If you're working with a marble board instead of wood, lay down a few basil leaves first as a subtle cushion that keeps the arrangement from looking stark and sterile.
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