Elevate the art of composing delicious small-bite meals with inspiration from The Curated Board. From family breakfast and afternoon tea to date night and game night, food stylist Bebe Carminito presents twenty-eight themed boards and platters with more than sixty-five effortless recipes and suggests perfect pairings along with styling tips for optimal presentation.

Presenting a diverse array of platters from culinary influencers celebrating their gastronomic heritage, The Curated Board invites you to create spreads for all your special occasions. Raid your pantry and fridge and pair your favourite prepared foods with Bebe’s delicious homemade dips, snacks, baked goods, salads, cocktails, and sweets.

Relish in Green Chile, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Pineapple-Jalapeño Cheese Balls, Herbes de Provence Grissini, Campanelle Pasta Salad, Basil Gimlets, and Cherry-Almond Oat Bars, among many others—the possibilities are endless.

Enjoy themed boards for any occasion, including:
• Granola, Fruit & Yoghurt Board
• Lebanese Sheet Pan Brunch
• An English Tea Party
• Girl’s Day Charcuter-Yay Board
• Ukranian Budmo Board
• Aperitivo Time
• Dim Sum Celebration
• Chocolate Lover’s Soirée
• Halva-Licious Board

These fun and easy-to-prepare meals will have you pulling out your platters and boards, making the most of your pantry, and gathering with loved ones around a cornucopia of delectable small bites.

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Chocolate Lover’s Soirée

If you adore chocolate, this one’s for you! Chocolate fondue, chocolate shortbread, and Chocolate Chip Biscotti (page 142) star on this menu, along with an array of toppings and add-ons that will satisfy all your cravings. This makes for a delightful engagement or Valentine’s Day party. 

Serves 4 to 6

Milk Chocolate Fondue (See below)

Chocolate-Cinnamon Shortbread (See below)

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Berries, such as strawberries and raspberries

Seasonal fruit, such as fresh figs, sliced oranges, apples, pears, or bananas

Biscotti, pretzels, marshmallows, pound cake cubes, and/or Rice Krispie squares

Chocolate bark, chopped pistachios, cacao nibs, dried cherries, and pomegranate arils

Fresh mint sprigs, such as chocolate mint

TO DRINK

Champagne or sparkling rosé

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Place your fondue pot and fondue forks on a platter or board and surround it with the berries, seasonal fruit, and mint sprigs. On another board or platter, arrange the shortbread, biscotti, pretzels, marshmallows, pound cake cubes, Rice Krispie squares, and chocolate bark. I like to serve additional frosted shortbread on a separate plate with Chocolate Chip Biscotti (page 142). Add small bowls of chopped pistachios, cacao nibs, dried cherries, and pomegranate arils to sprinkle onto fondue-dipped treats, which adds texture and flavour.

MILK CHOCOLATE FONDUE

This creamy chocolate fondue will keep you coming back for more. It’s so easy to make using milk chocolate chips and heavy cream. Look for Tahitian vanilla extract to use here; its fruity profile adds nuances of cherry, licorice, and caramel. If you don’t have a fondue pot, use a large, 2-cup (480-ml) ramekin set over a candle food warmer, also known as Sterno.

Makes 2 cups (480 ml) | Serves 4

One package (11½ ounces/325 g) milk chocolate chips

¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream

1 ½ teaspoons Tahitian or regular vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

Put the chocolate chips in a medium glass bowl. Add the cream to a medium saucepan and gently warm it over low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate chips and let stand for 2 minutes. Using a small rubber spatula, stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt. 

Pour the mixture into a fondue pot and serve with fresh fruits, cookies, and other treats (see page 133). Any leftover fondue will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Rewarm over low heat in a double boiler, stirring gently.

CHOCOLATE–CINNAMON SHORTBREAD

This cozy, flavorful shortbread has rich Dutch-process cocoa, warming cinnamon, and a pinch of hot chile powder. It’s reminiscent of the Mexican hot chocolate I used to share with my mom when I visited New Mexico and we would go out to lunch. You will need to make the dough a day before baking, as the dough requires an overnight chill in the refrigerator. This is a great cookie for a host or holiday gift. The frosting is optional—leave it off for shortbreads you want to dip in the fondue (opposite) or add it as a special treat with the sprinkles (I often do both!)

Makes 1½ to 2 dozen cookies

½ cup (115 g) salted butter, preferably European style, at room temperature 

½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar

sifted 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour

sifted ¼ cup (25 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for rolling (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of New Mexico chile powder, or your favorite chile powder

Pinch of kosher salt

½ cup (125 ml) chocolate frosting, homemade or store-bought (optional)

Sprinkles, jimmies, or nonpareils for sprinkling (optional)

MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL Clean any crumbs from your offset spatula while frosting the cookies to keep the frosting crumb-free. These cookies make a wonderful gift and have endless possibilities with all the decorative holiday sprinkles on the market. Also, try different cookie cutter shapes to add personality.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute total, scraping down the paddle and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Lower the speed and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle once more. 

In a small bowl, combine the flour, the ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk to blend. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture just until blended; don’t overmix. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with the rubber spatula if needed. Turn out the dough and press it into a ball, flatten it into a disc, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough overnight. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to a thickness of ¼ inch (6 mm). If the dough sticks, sprinkle it with a little cocoa powder on both sides. Using a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared sheet pans; reroll scraps once for more cookies. Transfer the pans to the refrigerator and chill for 30 more minutes. 

While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Bake the cookies one pan at a time until puffed and matte, 10 to 11 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to another wire rack and let cool completely before moving them, as they are very delicate.

If using the frosting, with a small offset spatula, frost each cookie then top with sprinkles, if you like.

Recipe published with permission from Abrams Books.