Fireside Comfort Cocoa Platter (Printable)

Cozy platter with dark chocolate, aged cheeses, fruits, nuts, and warm cocoa for a comforting experience.

# What you need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz aged cheddar, cut into large irregular chunks
02 - 5.3 oz aged gouda, broken into wedges
03 - 5.3 oz blue cheese, crumbled or chunked

→ Chocolate & Sweets

04 - 4.2 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), broken into pieces
05 - 3.5 oz chocolate-covered almonds
06 - 2.8 oz chocolate-dipped dried figs
07 - 2.1 oz chocolate truffles

→ Accompaniments

08 - 1 small baguette, sliced
09 - 2.8 oz roasted walnuts or pecans
10 - 1 pear, sliced
11 - 1 apple, sliced
12 - 2 tbsp honey

→ Hot Cocoa

13 - 2 cups whole milk
14 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped
15 - 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
16 - 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
17 - Pinch of salt
18 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
19 - Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
20 - Shaved chocolate, for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Place aged cheddar, gouda, and blue cheese on a large wooden board, maintaining rustic, irregular shapes for a hearty presentation.
02 - Group dark chocolate pieces, chocolate-covered almonds, chocolate-dipped figs, and truffles on the board for visual contrast.
03 - Surround cheeses and chocolates with sliced baguette, roasted nuts, pear, and apple slices. Serve honey in a small bowl for dipping.
04 - Heat whole milk over medium heat until steaming, not boiling. Add chopped dark chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk until smooth and chocolate melts. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Pour hot cocoa into mugs and optionally top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate garnish.
06 - Present the platter alongside hot cocoa for a comforting fireside indulgence.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It requires almost no cooking skill—just good taste and a nice board—which means you can focus on the joy of gathering instead of stress in the kitchen
  • The contrast between creamy aged cheeses, rich chocolate, and tart fresh fruit creates a flavor journey that keeps surprising your palate
  • It's endlessly forgiving; swap in your favorite cheeses or chocolates and it becomes uniquely yours every single time
02 -
  • Never let your milk come to a rolling boil—it changes the texture of the cocoa and creates a thin, weak result instead of something luxurious. The moment you see sustained steam, you're done
  • Room-temperature chocolate shaves beautifully; cold chocolate shatters, and warm chocolate just smears. Keep your chocolate bar on the counter while you prepare everything else
  • Slice your fresh fruit as late as possible before serving. Oxidation is real, and those apple and pear slices will brown faster than you'd expect
03 -
  • Serve your cheeses at room temperature—cold cheese tastes muted and dense. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving and they'll taste their very best
  • If you're making this ahead, the platter components can be prepped hours in advance, but wait until the last 15 minutes to slice fresh fruit and assemble everything. Cocoa should always be made fresh, just before you serve it
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