A vibrant fruit platter brings together beautifully cut ripe fruit, cheeses, honey, and two creamy homemade dips. It works well as a light dessert or as part of a brunch spread. Below you’ll find simple instructions for cutting kiwis into an eye-catching zigzag shape and for slicing cantaloupe into half-moons—a shape that’s just right for dipping. The fruit can be sliced in advance, and both dips can be made a day ahead, so much of the prep can be done early.
Info
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Total time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
Chocolate-Cream Cheese Dip
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Raspberry Yogurt Dip
- 3 ounces raspberries
- 2/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Fruit Board
- 1 small cantaloupe (about 1 pound)
- 4 green kiwis
- 1/4 cup honey
- 8 ounces seedless green grapes, snipped into bunches
- 8 ounces seedless red grapes, snipped into bunches
- 1/4 small seedless watermelon (about 12 ounces), cut into triangles
- 1 navel orange, cut into 12 wedges
- 16 ounces strawberries, stems on, halved
- 1 pint blueberries
- 6 ounces blackberries
- One 8-ounce wheel Brie
- 4 ounces manchego cheese, thinly sliced into triangles
- Fresh mint sprigs, for serving
Instructions
- Make the chocolate-cream cheese dip: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Whisk on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small ramekin or bowl and refrigerate until serving.
- Make the raspberry yogurt dip: Process the raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice; stir until well combined and the mixture turns light pink. Transfer to a small ramekin or bowl and refrigerate until serving.
- Cut the cantaloupe: First remove the peel. Cut a small slice off the top and bottom (the stem end, where a small spot from the growing cantaloupe is visible, and the opposite end). Stand the cantaloupe on one flat end and, starting from the top and following the contour, cut away the peel with a knife, keeping as much flesh intact as possible. Continue until all the peel is removed.
- Leave the cantaloupe on one flat end and cut straight down through the middle. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membrane with a spoon. Turn the halves over so the hollow sides face down. Slice crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, cutting in the same direction as the top and bottom slices. Refrigerate in an airtight container until serving.
- Cut the kiwis: Leave the peel on. Insert the tip of a paring knife about 1/2 to 1 inch into the center of a kiwi at a 45-degree angle. Repeat to create a “V” shape—this starts the zigzag. Continue this pattern around the entire kiwi. Gently twist and pull until the two pieces separate. Repeat with the remaining kiwis. Refrigerate in an airtight container until serving.
- Assemble the board: Place the chocolate-cream cheese dip and raspberry yogurt dip on a board. Put the honey in a small bowl and set it on the board. Fill the space around them with the cantaloupe, kiwi, green and red grapes, watermelon, orange, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, Brie, and manchego. Tuck mint sprigs into any empty spots.
