Gilded Hive Cheese Board (Printable)

An elegant honeycomb-centered cheese board with hexagon-cut cheeses and crackers, garnished for visual delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ Crackers

07 - 8.8 oz whole wheat crackers, large squares or rectangles
08 - 8.8 oz seeded crackers

→ Honeycomb Center

09 - 3.5 oz edible honeycomb

→ Accompaniments

10 - 2 tbsp 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 hexagon-shaped cutter about 2 to 3 inches wide, slice all cheeses into uniform hexagons. Chill softer cheeses like Brie and goat cheese briefly for cleaner cuts.
02 - Lay out the crackers and trim them into hexagon shapes using the same cutter. Select the best intact pieces for arrangement as some may break.
03 - Set the edible honeycomb at the center of the serving board as the focal point.
04 - Surround the honeycomb with circles of cheese hexagons, alternating varieties to enhance visual and textural variety.
05 - Form additional concentric circles or rays around the cheese using the hexagon-cut crackers.
06 - Place Marcona almonds, dried apricots, and fresh grapes in the spaces between cheese and crackers to add color and balance.
07 - Apply fine lines of runny honey around the honeycomb and cheese areas to add gloss and sweetness.
08 - Optionally adorn with edible flowers or microgreens and serve immediately with cheese knives or spreaders.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every element is edible yet feels like an installation—people photograph it before they taste it.
  • The hexagon pattern forces you to arrange thoughtfully, which actually makes the board easier to navigate than a random spread.
  • Once you own a hexagon cutter, you'll use it for everything, suddenly seeing geometric possibilities everywhere.
02 -
  • Soft cheeses must be truly cold or your cutter will drag and smear instead of cutting cleanly—chill longer than you think necessary.
  • A dull cutter is your enemy here; sharpen or replace yours if crackers crumble instead of cut.
  • Arrange the board as close to serving time as possible so cheeses don't warm and lose their shape, and the honey stays glossy instead of absorbing into everything.
03 -
  • Make a test board alone first, before the real event—that way you discover your rhythm and which cheeses need more chill time without an audience watching.
  • Buy 15 to 20 percent more cheese and crackers than you think you'll need because imperfect cuts happen and you'll want plenty of whole pieces for the final arrangement.
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