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Christmas Charcuterie Board How To (Boursin Tree and Salami Trees)
This Christmas Charcuterie Board How To is the complete guide to building the most festive, eye-catching holiday board your guests have ever seen. A Boursin cheese tree decorated with olives and fresh herbs, a cucumber and feta checkerboard drizzled with olive oil, and sculptural salami trees topped with white cheese stars, all arranged on a large board and filled in with truffle almonds, tart cherries, prosciutto, and cornichons. It looks completely stunning, comes together without complicated prep, and is guaranteed to be the centerpiece of every holiday party you host this season.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Boursin Cheese: Three wheels stacked and shaped into the Christmas tree centerpiece. Boursin is the ideal choice because it is soft enough to mold and holds its shape beautifully once chilled. Any flavor works though garlic and herb is the classic choice.
- Green and Black Olives: Used to decorate the Boursin tree creating the look of ornaments and texture across the surface. Mix both colors for the most visually striking result.
- Fresh Rosemary or Pine Sprigs: Pressed into the Boursin tree to create a realistic branch-like texture that makes the whole tree look genuinely extraordinary. Rosemary is the most accessible and fragrant choice.
- White Cheese for Stars: Cut or shaped into small stars for the tops of the Boursin tree and salami trees. Use a firm white cheese like manchego or white cheddar that can be cut cleanly with a small star cutter.
- Large Cucumber: Sliced into rounds for the feta checkerboard. Choose a large, straight cucumber for the most even slices.
- Feta Cheese Block: Cut into cubes to alternate with cucumber rounds in the checkerboard pattern. Use a good quality full fat block feta for the best flavor and cleanest cuts.
- Salami: One full package folded into a tree shape using the layering technique. Use a good quality salami with a firm texture that holds its fold cleanly.
- Cornichons: Skewered at the base of each salami tree as the trunk. Their small size and firm texture make them perfect for this purpose.
- Truffle Almonds: One of the most sophisticated board fillers available. The truffle flavor elevates the entire board and pairs beautifully with both the Boursin and the cured meats.
- Dried Tart Cherries: Add color, sweetness, and a beautiful jewel-like visual element across the board. The tartness balances the richness of the cheeses and meats perfectly.
- Prosciutto: Ribboned or folded loosely and placed across the board for elegant cured meat coverage. Prosciutto’s delicate texture makes it the most visually beautiful meat to ribbon.
- Optional Fig Jam: Placed in a small bowl or jar on the board for guests who want sweetness with their cheese. Fig jam pairs particularly beautifully with the Boursin and feta.
Why You'll Love This Christmas Charcuterie Board
1. The Most Impressive Holiday Board You Will Ever Make: The Boursin Christmas tree alone is enough to make every guest stop and take a photo before touching anything. Combined with the salami trees and feta checkerboard this board looks like it was made by a professional food stylist.
2. No Complicated Techniques: Every element on this board uses simple folding, stacking, and arranging techniques that anyone can master in minutes. The visual impact is completely disproportionate to the effort required.
3. Perfect for Holiday Entertaining: This board is designed specifically for holiday parties and gatherings. It feeds 8 people generously and can be scaled up easily for larger groups by adding more board fillers and cured meats.
4. Completely Customizable: Swap any element based on what you love or what is available. Change the Boursin flavor, add different nuts, use cranberries instead of tart cherries, or add a honey jar instead of fig jam. The framework works with endless variations.
5. Most Elements Can Be Prepped Ahead: The Boursin tree can be shaped and chilled hours in advance. The salami trees can be built and refrigerated. The feta checkerboard can be assembled and kept covered. Assembly takes under 10 minutes at serving time.
6. A Guaranteed Conversation Starter: Every single element of this board is designed to be visually interesting and interactive. Guests will talk about the Boursin tree and the salami trees long after the party is over.
7. Scales Easily for Any Party Size: This recipe serves 8 comfortably but scales beautifully. Add a second salami tree, more board fillers, and additional cured meats for a larger crowd without changing any of the signature elements.
How to Make a Christmas Charcuterie Board
Step 1: Make the Boursin Christmas Tree Stack three Boursin cheese wheels directly on top of each other and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Gently press and mold into a rounded tree shape that is wider at the base and narrows toward the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm enough to hold its shape. Unwrap and decorate with green and black olives pressed gently into the surface and fresh rosemary or pine sprigs tucked in to create a branch-like texture. Finish with a small white cheese star secured on a toothpick at the very top.
Step 2: Make the Feta Checkerboard Slice cucumber into even rounds approximately half a centimeter thick. Cut feta into cubes roughly the same size as the cucumber rounds. Arrange alternating pieces in a tight checkerboard grid pattern on a small section of the board or a separate small plate. Drizzle lightly with good olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Garnish with fresh herbs tucked around the edges.
Step 3: Make the Salami Trees Take one slice of salami and fold it in half. Take a second slice and fold it into thirds. Take a third slice and fold it into quarters so that each layer is progressively smaller and the overall shape narrows toward the top like a tree. Skewer a cornichon at the base of each tree as the trunk. Stack the folded salami layers onto the toothpick or skewer from largest at the base to smallest at the top. Crown with a small white cheese star.
Step 4: Assemble the Board Place the Boursin Christmas tree in a prominent central or corner position on a large serving board. Arrange the feta checkerboard and salami trees around it leaving organic gaps between each element. Fill all gaps generously with truffle almonds, dried tart cherries, prosciutto ribbons, extra salami, additional olives, and cornichons. Add a small bowl or jar of fig jam if using. Serve immediately at room temperature for the best flavor from all the cheeses.
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Tips for the Best Christmas Charcuterie Board
1. Chill the Boursin Tree Before Decorating: The tree needs to be firm before you start pressing in the olives and herbs or it will lose its shape. A minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge after shaping makes decorating significantly easier and cleaner.
2. Use a Large Board: A board that is too small makes the arrangement look cramped and chaotic. Use the largest board you have for the most visually impressive result. A large wooden cutting board or marble slab both work beautifully.
3. Build the Statement Pieces First: Place the Boursin tree, feta checkerboard, and salami trees on the board first before adding any fillers. These are the anchors of the board and everything else works around them.
4. Fill Every Gap: The difference between a good board and a stunning board is how generously the gaps are filled. Pile in the truffle almonds, tart cherries, and cornichons until there is no visible board surface showing through.
5. Vary the Heights: Boards that are all one height look flat and less impressive. The Boursin tree, salami trees, and small jars or bowls of jam naturally create different heights which make the board look more dynamic and professionally styled.
6. Bring Cheese to Room Temperature: Cold cheese from the fridge has significantly less flavor than cheese served at room temperature. Take the feta and any additional cheeses out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
7. Add Fresh Herb Sprigs Last: Fresh rosemary, thyme, and pine sprigs are your most beautiful and fragrant garnish. Add them last right before serving so they stay bright green and fresh looking throughout the party.
How to Store
1. Boursin Tree: The shaped Boursin tree can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated. Decorate with olives and herbs just before serving for the freshest presentation.
2. Assembled Board: The assembled board can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving. Remove 20 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the cheeses to come to room temperature.
3. Leftover Components: Store leftover cheese, meats, and accompaniments in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Most components keep for 3 to 5 days and can be used for sandwiches, salads, and snacking throughout the week.
4. Salami Trees: Store built salami trees covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. They hold their shape well and can be transferred directly to the board at serving time.
5. Feta Checkerboard: Assemble and cover with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before serving. Add the olive oil drizzle and fresh herbs just before placing on the board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cheese instead of Boursin for the tree? Yes. Any soft, moldable cheese works for the tree shape. Cream cheese mixed with herbs is the most accessible alternative. Goat cheese also works beautifully and gives a tangier flavor profile.
How far in advance can I build this board? Most elements can be prepped up to 24 hours ahead. The Boursin tree can be shaped and refrigerated overnight. The salami trees and feta checkerboard can be built several hours ahead. Full assembly is best done 1 to 2 hours before serving.
What is the best board size for 8 people? A board that is at least 18 by 24 inches gives you enough space to arrange all three statement pieces plus generous board fillers without everything looking cramped. A large wooden cutting board or serving platter works perfectly.
Can I make this dairy free? The Boursin tree and feta checkerboard are the two dairy-forward elements. Substitute the Boursin with a good quality vegan cream cheese shaped the same way and use a firm vegan feta alternative. The salami trees and board fillers are already dairy free.
How do I fold the salami into a tree shape? The key is progressive folding where each layer is folded more tightly than the one below creating a pyramid-like shape. Bottom layer folded in half, middle layer into thirds, top layer into quarters. Stacking from largest to smallest gives you the tree silhouette.
What can I substitute for truffle almonds? Regular roasted almonds, marcona almonds, candied pecans, or spiced walnuts all work beautifully as board fillers. Any nut you love works here. The truffle almonds add a sophisticated flavor but the board is delicious without them.
Can I add sweet elements to the board? Absolutely. Dark chocolate pieces, honey in a small jar, candied nuts, or dried figs all add beautiful sweet elements that contrast the savory cheeses and meats perfectly. Fig jam is already included as an optional element.
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Christmas Charcuterie Board (How To)
Ingredients
Method
- Stack the Boursin rounds and gently shape into a rounded tree form using plastic wrap to help hold structure. Decorate with olives and rosemary or pine sprigs to mimic tree texture, then finish with a small cheese star on top.
- Arrange cucumber slices on a surface and press feta cubes into a checkerboard pattern, drizzling with olive oil and finishing with sea salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.
- Fold salami slices into layered shapes, starting wider at the base and narrowing toward the top, then skewer with a cornichon at the base and finish with a small cheese star for a tree effect.
- Place all elements onto a large board and fill in the gaps with nuts, dried fruit, prosciutto ribbons, and extra meats or cheeses, creating contrast with color, texture, and height for a visually rich display.
Nutrition
Notes
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