Artisanal Cheese Recipe

Prepare fruit

Wash, peel (if needed) and finely chop the seasonal fruit into roughly 5–8 mm pieces so the marmalade has small fruit bits. If using citrus, remove seeds and finely slice rinds into thin strips.

Cook marmalade

Combine chopped fruit, sugar, water, grated ginger (if using) and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fruit breaks down and mixture thickens to a jammy consistency, about 20–30 minutes. Skim any foam from the top.

Finish and cool

Stir in vanilla extract (if using) during the last minute. Test set by placing 1 teaspoon on a chilled plate — it should wrinkle when pushed. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean jar and chill until ready to serve (at least 1 hour). Makes about 1 small jar (~300 g).

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter each brioche slice lightly on one side with the softened butter; brush the other side very lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt.

Cut the brioche slices diagonally into triangles to make toast points. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, buttered side up.

Bake 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges. For extra crispness, flip and bake 1–2 minutes more. Remove and let cool on a rack — the toasts will crisp further as they cool.

Remove all cheeses from the refrigerator 30–60 minutes before serving so they come to room temperature — this brings out the flavors and textures.

Trim rind as appropriate: leave natural rinds intact for visual interest and flavor; for very thick rinds on pasteurized cheeses you may pare a thin outer layer if desired. Slice the aged cheddar into thin wedges or rectangular slices (~1 cm thick).

Cut the semi-soft cheese into 8–10 mm slices or wedges. For the soft triple-cream, leave a portion whole and score the top lightly with a knife for easier spreading. Crumble or cut the blue cheese into small chunks suitable for sharing.

If using a larger piece of honeycomb, cut into small chunks or leave a decorative piece intact (about 2–3 cm pieces) for plating. Keep some honeycomb pieces whole for visual interest.

Toast the nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3–4 minutes. Remove to cool and roughly chop.

Select a large wooden board or platter. Place the four cheeses spaced apart to create focal points: aged cheddar, triple-cream, semi-soft, and blue.

Near each cheese, add a small spoonful (about 1–2 tbsp) of the chilled seasonal marmalade in a small ramekin or dolloped directly onto the board beside the cheese that will pair best (e.g., marmalade with triple-cream and semi-soft).

Arrange 6–8 brioche toast points in a fan or stack near the cheeses. Place the honeycomb pieces next to the blue or triple-cream cheese so guests can pair sweet-and-salty bites.

Scatter the toasted chopped nuts between cheeses and add small clusters of fresh fruit and crackers around the board for variety.

Drizzle a little raw honey lightly over a portion of the blue cheese area (optional) and tuck thyme sprigs or microgreens around cheeses for color and aroma.

Provide a small cheese knife or spreader for each cheese type and label cheeses for guests. Serve at room temperature.