Floating Island Cheese Centerpiece (Print Version)

Cheese wheel on blue yogurt dip with grapes forms a striking, flavorful centerpiece for parties.

# Components:

→ Cheese

01 - 1 large wheel soft-ripened cheese (Brie or Camembert), approximately 1.1 lbs

→ Dip

02 - 14 oz plain Greek yogurt
03 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - Blue food coloring (gel or natural), to desired shade

→ Garnishes

07 - 9 oz seedless black or red grapes
08 - Fresh herbs (optional, for decoration)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Place the cheese wheel at the center of a large serving platter to represent the island.
02 - In a mixing bowl, blend Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt until smooth.
03 - Gradually add blue food coloring to the yogurt mixture, stirring until a deep lake-blue hue is achieved.
04 - Carefully spoon the blue yogurt dip around the cheese wheel on the platter to mimic a lake surrounding the island.
05 - Arrange seedless grapes around the perimeter of the blue yogurt lake to form a decorative border.
06 - Optionally adorn the cheese with fresh herbs or edible flowers for added visual appeal.
07 - Present immediately alongside crackers or bread for accompaniment.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like edible art but takes just 15 minutes to assemble.
  • Your guests will genuinely believe you spent hours planning this, and you can let them.
  • The creamy, tangy dip with soft cheese is unexpectedly addictive once people start eating.
02 -
  • The yogurt will continue to release liquid as it sits, so don't assemble more than an hour before serving or your sea becomes a swamp.
  • Gel food coloring is genuinely worth seeking out—liquid dye drowns the yogurt and makes it watery, while gel gives you that jewel-like, saturated blue that stops people in their tracks.
03 -
  • Keep the cheese wheel out of the fridge for 20 minutes before serving so it softens slightly and spreads beautifully—it should feel almost melting at the edges.
  • Taste your yogurt dip plain before coloring it; this is your only chance to adjust salt and lemon without affecting the color, and it's worth the extra minute.
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