Chocolate charcuterie board: The party platter you didn’t know you needed

Say goodbye to the grazing board basics and introduce a new way to present your dessert graze board. It’s time to say hello to the ‘chocuterie’ board.

When you think of food platters for celebrations and gatherings, an image of artisanal cheeses, meats, and breadsticks may spring to mind. We don’t blame you — they’re delicious, after all. But what if we told you that the appeal of a savoury grazing board could be applied to a new, more decadent creation.

We’re talking about the latest craze in the chocolate spheres — the “chocuterie” board. Could this be the dessert party platter you didn’t know you needed? Let’s find out. Here’s everything you need to know on how to make your chocolate charcuterie board the pièce de résistance of your next soirée.

Chocuterie. It’s more than just a board of chocolate…

At Hotel Chocolat, we view the chocuterie board as a way to present an array of sumptuous luxury chocolates in all of their unique shapes, sizes, and variations. It’s a simple yet impactful way to delight your guests or loved ones with all of the flavours and textures on offer. And the best part is — they can just keep coming up for more! Much like its savoury counterpart, the secret of a perfect chocuterie board lies within the balance of its components.

A stand-out chocuterie board will include a variety of chocolate treats — some bursting with fruity, nutty, or tipsy varieties, and some as simple yet irresistible as it gets, like our milk, white, and dark chocolates.

You want to delight your guests with every sense, so don’t be afraid to enhance your chocuterie board with the help of our iced and hot chocolate collection, or our chocolate alcohol range. Their taste, mouthfeel, and aroma will help create a one-of-a-kind multi-dimensional experience. You’ll also want to aim for a balance of textures. Think crunchy, smooth, velvety — the whole lot.

From summer garden parties and cosy winter gatherings to intimate dessert soirées for your anniversary, it’s clear that a chocolate charcuterie board is a great way to elevate the occasion.

A connoisseur’s guide to crafting the perfect chocuterie board

As long as you have a dash of creativity, it shouldn’t take you too long to put together a sensational chocolate grazing selection. The beauty of a chocuterie board is that it can be as grand or as minimal as you wish.

If you were asking us how we would assemble a chocolate dessert platter, this is what we would do. Let’s take you through the process of assembling a board that will impress everyone, from your fussy little one to your hard-to-please grandpa. Take it from us — true indulgence lies in the details — and that’s all that matters.

1. Start with a solid cacao foundation

A chocuterie board is only as good as the chocolates you include. To build the base of your chocuterie board, we suggest you start as simple as it gets. Our milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate selections showcases cacao in its finest, unadulterated form. We believe this makes it an excellent starting point.

For a taste of all three in one, we suggest starting with our Chocolate Batons — especially, The Mellow Baton Library. It’s a curated collection of simple yet delicious chocolates that offers something for every palate. From the creamy elegance of our milk chocolate to the intense sophistication of dark, each piece has been expertly curated through our in-house processes of chocolate conching and tempering. These individual chocolates come as simple as they can be — bringing their unique flavour profiles to the forefront.

2. Layer with a touch of chocolate luxury

Now it’s time to add a bit of grandeur. If you’re looking to up your chocuterie board’s variety and depth, The Classic Cabinet will be an essential addition to your chocolate board — available as is or alcohol-free.

You could place this chocolate cabinet as-is on your table, or elegantly place them around your grazing board. It will look luxurious either way, guaranteed. This two-tier showcase includes 61 of our most celebrated recipes. Delight in the zesty brightness of fruity chocolate bites to the patisserie-inspired Eton Mess and Carrot Cake.

Fancy a cocktail on us? Enjoy the mouth-warming feel of our liquor truffles, featuring Mojito, Whisky, and Rum variations. A great way to bring a bit of a buzz to any occasion.

3. Bring in new texture dimensions

Now that you’ve got your chocolate flavour variations covered, it’s time to add in a few more show-stoppers of a different kind.

You may already know about our iconic Velvetiser. It’s the revolutionary hot chocolate maker, transforming the ritual of hot chocolate into a luxurious experience at the press of a button. Why not find your favourite colour of Velvetiser, and add it as an extra to your spread? Set up a few mugs, glasses, ice (if you’re hosting a summer affair) and your choice of milk along with our convenient single-serve hot chocolate sachets.

We’d suggest using The Everything Hot Chocolate Sachet Selection, offering your guests the very best flavours of our signature hot chocolate. Ready to be enjoyed hot or iced, this selection features 10 sachets of our most prized and popular hot chocolate flavours, including Classic 70% Dark, Salted Caramel, Mint, Mily 50% and Orange — to name a few.

4. Complement the taste buds with new fusions

A well-rounded chocolate dessert charcuterie board will benefit from contrasting textures and flavours. After all, you want to keep your guests on the edge of their taste buds.

We think our Dunking Biscuit Selection is the perfect accompaniment, offering a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the creaminess of chocolate. Enjoy these crisp and crumbly biscuits in flavours such as Chocolate and Sour Cherry, Pecan Pie, Orange, Pistachio and Cardamom — as well as the simple yet irresistible Chocolate.

Each biscuit is designed to accompany our chocolate, always enhancing its flavour but never overpowering it. Dipped into a cup of velvetised chocolate or enjoyed on its own, these biscuits are a foolproof way to introduce a new texture to your board.

5. Bring the action with interactive chocolate tasting experiences

Are you ready for the final pièce de résistance? Introduce our Large Chocolate Dipping Adventure to your board.

This selection is a feast for the senses, featuring a range of dipping pots filled with luscious, silky-smooth chocolate. Accompanied by mini marshmallows, fruit, and biscuits, this interactive element will playfully encourage your guests to get stuck in.

The little ones will love dipping their treats into the oozy chocolate dips, and the range of flavours on offer make this chocolate dipping it a versatile addition to your dessert graze board.

When’s the best time to serve a chocuterie board?

Another brilliant thing about a chocuterie board is that it can evolve to reflect the time of year. Fresh fruity flavours are ideal for summer gatherings, while the warming sensation of winter spices can make a wonderful addition to festive platters. No matter the time of year, you can always tailor your selection to the occasion.

For a zesty taste of the tropics at summer gatherings

Picture a warm summer evening with the sun slowly setting as your guests sip cocktails and chat in the garden. For this time of year, we picture a chocuterie board with plenty of seasonal fresh fruits like strawberries, pineapples, and mangoes. Their flavours complement beautifully with chocolate, and their bright flavours contrast beautifully.

For a warming and cosy winter cacao experience

When the temperature drops, comfort and warmth is key. For a winter gathering, opt for deeper, spicier flavours — think cinnamon, ginger, and orange zest. Pair with cups of hot chocolate from The Velvetiser to create a cosy, indulgent experience. Or, if you wish, you could include a few of our chocolate tipples for a warming celebratory element.

Start building your chocolate dessert board with Hotel Chocolat

At Hotel Chocolat, we pride ourselves on offering the finest cacao creations to enhance every occasion. No matter if you’re planning a big celebration or a fun evening at home, a chocuterie board is one of the best ways to share the joy of chocolate with your loved ones.

All that’s left is for you to embark on your very own chocuterie adventure. Have fun exploring our full chocolate collection, and discover the perfect cacao additions to create a chocolate board that’s as unique as the moments you’ll share around it.

By Rhian Wood