How to Build an Irresistible Autumn Grazing Board

By Teresa Ulyate @couscousblog

Cosy autumn snack grazing board photo

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In Cape Town at this time of the year the weather keeps us on our toes – you never quite know what you’re going to get. Overall it’s milder, the days are sunny and the evenings are cooler (my idea of heaven)… with the odd scorcher, sudden downpour or balmy evening snuck in between. Basically, in this in-between season, we need to be ready for anything!

An autumn grazing board filled with snacks on a table

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Top shot of a full autumn grazing board

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Grazing boards are great for this time of year, they’re perfect for picnics and simple suppers, casual get togethers or even for a movie night! Picture this… a cosy night in (or a warm evening outside – you never know) with a beautifully arranged board full of delicious snacks and comforting flavours.

Top shot of a full autumn grazing board

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A grazing board full of autumn cosy snacks

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For this particular autumn themed grazing board I’ve focused on seasonal flavours and a mixture of savoury and sweet elements. I’ve added a few tips and a list of exactly what I included on my board below, but you can play around with it and add whatever you like, there are no rules really.

1.) Choose your board

You’ll need a large base for all your tasty snacks. I love using wooden boards but you can use any board or platter, even a baking tray. (It goes without saying that it should be a food safe surface.)

2.) Choose your snacks

  • I always start with cheese (priorities!) and go for 2-4 types depending on the occasion.  Variety is the main thing here, I like to include hard and soft cheeses and different flavor profiles. For this board I stuck with family friendly flavours but by all means add cheeses that are bolder if you prefer.
  • Meats always feature on my grazing boards and here I’ve included strips of prosciutto and beef slices. Roll or fold the meat slices if you’re feeling extra.
  • Bread and or/crackers – again, variety in textures is ideal. I went for homemade rosemary focaccia and crispy melba toast. Baguette is my other go-to.
  • Seasonal fruits – including something fresh on the board is a must, and at this time of year you can choose between delicious fruit like apples, pears, figs, plums or grapes.
  • Roasted nuts – these add irresistible crunch and flavor to your grazing board, I opted for roasted cashew nuts.
  • Savoury dips and/or toppings – these are a must! There are endless options here but for my autumnal board I decided to use a punchy tomato pesto and an onion marmalade which is exquisite with cheese. Both added a real pop of flavor to the board.
  • Sweet treats – I love adding a few sweet elements to my boards. I including some mini pumpkin spice cookies for more cosy, comforting flavours as well as some nougat chunks and a dark chocolate ganache dipping sauce for the fruit.

3.) Additional tips

  • Overall you want to have a variety of colours, textures and flavours on your board, so keep this in mind while planning your snacks.
  • Don’t arrange your board too far in advance, rather put everything together just before serving so it’s as fresh as possible.
  • Arrange the elements in small groups on the board, and pop sauces and dips into small bowls. I like to pop the bowls on the board first and then arrange the other elements in clusters around them.
  • Another way to add a pop of freshness to the board is to add sprigs of fresh herbs or edible flowers as a finishing touch.

Let me know in the comments what you like to put on your grazing boards!

Onion marmalade and chocolate ganache on a grazing board

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An autumn grazing board filled with snacks on a table

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Apple slices and chocolate ganache on a grazing board

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AUTUMN GRAZING BOARD

  • Three varieties of cheese – mature cheddar, soft goats cheese, brie
  • Meats – 100 g prosciutto and 100 g beef slices
  • Crackers / bread – melba toast, 1 round focaccia cut into large cubes
  • Seasonal fruits – pear and apple slices, fresh figs, plums, grapes
  • Roasted nuts – cashews
  • Toppings – tomato pesto and onion marmalade (place in small bowls)
  • Sweet treats – mini pumpkin spice cookies (see below), dark chocolate ganache (see below), nougat chunks

MINI PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES

  • 375 ml (1½ cups) oats
  • 125 ml (½ cup) cake flour
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) desiccated coconut
  • 7.5 ml (1½ tsp) ground cinnamon
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
  • 1.25 ml (¼ tsp) ground nutmeg
  • 1.25 ml (¼ tsp) ground cloves
  • 1.25 ml (¼ tsp) allspice
  • 2.5 ml (½ tsp) bicarb
  • 125 ml (½ cup) light brown sugar
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup
  • 120g butter

1.) Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2.) Place the oats, flour, coconut, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and bicarb in a bowl. Mix well until everything is blended evenly. Set aside.

3.) Place the sugar, syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix well until combined. 4.) Roll heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls and arrange on your baking tray, allowing some space for spreading. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. 5.) Bake for 15-18 minutes until the cookies have spread slightly and are golden. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely. 

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • 100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • 75 ml fresh cream

1.) Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in a small pot just until it starts to boil, no longer. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to stand for a minute, then stir until the chocolate has melted.

Note: the ganache will thicken as it cools so it’s best to make it shortly before serving. Alternatively it will loosen again if warmed very gently.

Top shot of a full autumn grazing board

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