How about a waffle charcuterie board if you have company coming? Do you just want to do something a little special for the family? It may sound daunting but it can be oh, so easy and yet make a real statement. It will tell them that you love them and want to pamper them.
You can keep it simple with just waffles and different toppings to experiment with. Or, go all out and do the whole thing with bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, fruit. The list can go on as far as you want to go. It’s your blank canvas so paint the scene the way you want it to be.
Making the Board – Perfection not Required!
Okay, we know how popular they are. We’ve all seen those page sized glossy photos in all the gourmet magazines with every pinch of salt in the right spot. Face it; they’ve had hours to set it all up and air-brushed that little bit of cheese that fell off the slice just as you’re ready to serve. You can do it, believe me! And if it’s not perfect, it can still be amazing to your family.
What You’ll need for your Waffle Charcuterie Board:
- A flat surface. It doesn’t have to be fancy, even a covered cookie sheet can work.
- Unless your family is into extreme finger food, have forks and spoons handy for toppings.
- Bowls and carafes for the syrups and other toppings. Keep them small though.
- You want savories like bacon, sausages and hard-cooked eggs (face it, you don’t want to mess with poached or fried eggs.) Besides, it is neater to serve hard-cooked eggs.
- Definitely fresh fruit. Berries, citrus, melons and grapes all work well. Remember to sprinkle lemon juice on sliced apples or bananas. You definitely don’t want them turning brown.
- Here’s where the fun begins. Let your imagination run wild with the toppings (but definitely dark chocolate if I’m invited).
- Toaster or waffle iron.
- To keep the waffles warm, have a sheet pan with rack for the oven.
- Your favorite Waffle recipe or store-bought waffles.
How much per person?
Have enough of each item for each guest to have 1–2 servings. For example, if you’re making a board for two you’ll want to have 2–3 of each type of waffle, 2–4 servings of fruit, 4–6 pieces of bacon, 2–3 eggs, etc. Of course, if you’re serving a bunch of teen-aged boys, adjust accordingly. Better to have leftovers than not enough.
Putting the waffle charcuterie board together:
Okay, now it’s time to get nervous and change your mind! No, not really. Remember, we’re not striving for perfection here. That comes with practice. We’ll guide you through giving hints on going fancy, but you can also go for a simple but yummy look.
Beginners tip but holds true for even the experienced: Put your board where you are going to serve it before you put it together. We don’t want to be chasing grapes around the room after we’ve put it together. They do tend to roll around.
Now, let’s get creative:
Shapes. No you don’t have to cookie cut your meats and cheeses. When you study pictures of the professional charcuterie boards, notice how the shapes flow into each other. Look for piles, rivers, fans, lines and scatters. Notice how they tuck elements into each other. You don’t want empty spaces which make it look like you forgot something. If you don’t have enough to make a full board, use a smaller board. But give the illusion of abundance.
Vessels. Figure out where the vessels will look good but also where they will flow more into the placement of items that will be using the contents of the vessels. Maybe the syrup will work better next to the waffles, not the fruit. Just don’t go overboard on bowls. Use only where necessary. Those berries really don’t need to be in a bowl.
Savories. The savory items are next. Created a fan with the bacon at one corner of the board. A little of it is fanned to hang over the edge. Flow the eggs neatly between the syrup pitcher and a bowl. Line the butter pats along one edge.
Fruit. Add the fruit. Orange slices fan beautifully. Tuck some next to the fanned bacon.Create piles with the raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. A few sliced strawberries on top of the strawberry pile adds interest.
Sweets. Ah,the icing on the cake, pun intended. Those yummy toppings are placed in their bowls and the syrup is poured into the pitcher or carafe.You can reserve toppings like nuts or chips to help fill in gaps after as needed.
Tip: If using warmed syrup, heat the vessel while the syrup is being warmed. This will help preserve the heat longer. Do this just before serving.
Waffles. Introducing the stars of the show:
There are lots of great waffle recipes, but you probably have your favorite one, so go for it! But if you feel less than confident about your waffle skills, the grocer has great fun varieties. Go for squares, rounds or minis and choose your favorite flavors to mix it up.
Depending on your choices, place the waffles where you like. Have mini waffles? Circle one of the bowls with them. Stack some in a line in the center of the bowl. Need to move something? Don’t be afraid to rearrange things if you need to. Make it interesting but don’t stress over it.
Tip from a professional: To keep waffles warm and crisp until it’s time to eat, fit a wire cooling rack into a rimmed baking sheet and set the sheet in the oven. Turn the oven on low (about 225 degrees F) to heat up. After making waffles in your waffle iron or toasting them in the toaster, lay each on the warm rack in a single layer. Do not stack them or they’ll get soft and soggy.
Finishing it up:. If you want to really put your board over the top, try some of these finishing touches. Make it a seasonal theme. For spring, add fresh herbs or edible spring flowers. Summer, change it up with basil (definitely a summer herb) and marigolds (yes, they are all edible but not all are tasty). Fall, try fresh sage and dark orange flowers (think Thanksgiving) and winter calls for mint.
These help fill in the gaps that are sure to appear and they add that extra little interest that people appreciate. And, you might introduce them to some new fresh, culinary ideas.
Go savory
When our sons were young and living at home, it was my husband’s job to make the pancakes and waffles. We were always experimenting by adding fun things to our mix. My favorite was always bacon and cheese (I love them both). Check out the internet. You will find lots of savory waffle recipes.
Fruit is still a great addition, but swap out the sweet topping for sour cream or hummus, even a salsa of some type. Serve with chicken nuggets or a bowl of chili.
Let your creative juices flow and go all out. Not only will your guests and family enjoy the tasty food but they will be blown away by your imagination and dedication. But not to be forgotten, for those adults in the party, make sure you have all the ingredients handy for mimosas. And to find the perfect sparkling wine for them, go here.
I hope you’ll have a blast putting your Waffle Charcuterie Board together. Don’t stress out if it isn’t perfect; Everyone will still be amazed and feel so special because you put yourself out there for them.
Bon Appetit!
