Chocolate Charcuterie Board
A chocolate charcuterie board is a terrific party idea for any occasion. Serve a variety of flavored chocolates, nuts, and fruits for an easy dessert, or create a chocolate themed party with this as the star. It’s a great idea for cocktail parties, girls night in, or date night.
Looking for an easy dessert tray to prepare for guests? How about a chocolate themed charcuterie board complete with wine.
This themed platter is filled with delicious chocolate and all the accoutrements that go so well with it. It’s perfect for tasting, grazing, and INDULGING!
This party isn’t meant to be stuffy or formal. The idea is to let guests choose small pieces of chocolate and taste it with a few different wines, as well as different fruits and nuts.
When to Serve It
Any of these occasions would be perfect for a chocolate charcuterie platter. And what’s more celebratory than wine and chocolate?
- This would be a great idea for a small group of friends or girls night in.
- Wine and chocolate are great for a date night for two at home.
- Create a board for movie night and add some popcorn to the platter.
- Set up this chocolate dessert board at home after having dinner out at a restaurant.
- Add this for an easy cocktail party dessert platter.
- Include this with your at-home Valentine’s day ideas, a Valentine’s day dinner or Galantine’s celebration at home.
How to Make a Chocolate Charcuterie Board
Here are the essential ingredients you’ll need to fill your tray.
- Chocolate bars or bark – dark chocolate bars, dark chocolate bars with almonds, milk chocolate bars with toffee bits, etc.
- Bite size chocolate bites – caramel-filled chocolates, dark chocolate covered almonds, milk chocolate covered cashews, salted chocolate caramels
- Spread or Dip – peanut butter or caramel sauce
- Dried fruit – dried apricots or cherries, raisins
- Fresh fruit – strawberries and cherries, raspberries
- Nuts – cashews, peanuts, almonds
- Garnish – fresh flower buds or herbs
How to Taste
- The quality of your wine and chocolates should be good.
- Gourmet chocolate bars are readily available at many retailers, and you can break them up into bite-sized pieces for tasting.
- To add an extra layer of flavor, offer variations of the chocolate such as nut-filled, fruit-filled, and caramel or peanut butter-filled.
- As you’re tasting the two together, follow the steps below to get the best experience.
Tasting Tips
A good rule of thumb is the wine should be as sweet or sweeter than the chocolate. Otherwise, you can end up with a bitter taste.
You’ll also want to pair lighter or milk chocolates with lighter and sweeter wines like Zinfandel, Riesling, or Pinot Noir.
Fuller-bodied wines like Cabernet, Merlot, or Shiraz should be paired with darker (more bitter) chocolates.
How to Taste Wine and Chocolate Together
Start by tasting your wine and chocolate separately so you can fully appreciate how they pair together. Then follow these steps.
- Swirl. Swirl your glass of wine to help aerate it and release the aromas.
- Sniff. Smell the wine for its bouquet.
- Sip. Take a sip of wine as you smell its aroma.
- Bite. Take a bite of chocolate and chew slowly, holding it on the tongue for a moment to taste the flavors.
- Sip. As the chocolate starts to dissolve, take another sip of wine.Mingle
Let the chocolate & wine mingle together in your mouth before swallowing.
More Chocolate Party Ideas
We have even more ideas to help you indulge in your chocolate craving!
- Host a ladies night chocolate party.
- Host an amazing wine and chocolate tasting party
- Create a cheese dessert board
- Prepare a beautiful dessert fondue platter
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Chocolate Tasting Charcuterie Board
This chocolate tasting charcuterie board has a variety of flavored chocolates, nuts, and fruits for an easy dessert or party idea at home. Great for cocktail parties, girls night in, or date night.
Ingredients
Chocolate
- Dark chocolate bar with almonds
- Milk chocolate bar with toffee bits
- Caramel-filled chocolates
- Dark chocolate covered almonds
- Milk chocolate covered cashews
- Salted chocolate caramels
Dip
- Peanut butter (or almond butter)
Fruit
- Dried apricots
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh or dried cherries
Nuts
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Garnish with fresh edible flower buds or herbs
Instructions
- Place peanut butter in a small bowl in center of wooden board or tray.
- Place small bowls filled with chocolate bites evenly around the board. A triangle pattern works well.
- Arrange chocolate bars evenly around the tray, breaking some pieces apart.
- Place mounds of nuts and fruit to separate chocolate bars.
- Fill in gaps with more small bite size chocolate pieces.
- Garnish with fresh edible flower buds or herbs if desired.
