Serengeti sunset apricots gouda (Printer-friendly)

Sweet apricot and smoked gouda layers blend into vivid bands resembling a Serengeti sunset.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 12 dried apricots, deep orange and plump

→ Cheese

02 - 7 oz smoked Gouda cheese, thinly sliced into rectangles

→ Garnish

03 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
04 - 1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
05 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Lay parchment paper or a serving platter on the work surface.
02 - Arrange a horizontal row of dried apricots with slight overlap to form the first band.
03 - Place a layer of smoked Gouda slices directly above the apricot band, slightly overlapping edges.
04 - Continue layering apricots and smoked Gouda, creating at least three bands of each for a sunset effect.
05 - Gently press each layer to maintain neatness and alignment.
06 - Sprinkle chopped chives, toasted pumpkin seeds, and black pepper as desired.
07 - Serve immediately with a sharp knife for slicing or provide cocktail picks for easy serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-quality but takes just 15 minutes, so you can finally impress people without the stress.
  • The smoky cheese against the natural sweetness of apricots feels fancy and unexpected in the best way.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're never caught scrambling when someone mentions their dietary preferences.
02 -
  • Don't slice your cheese too thick or it overwhelms the apricots—thin rectangles let both flavors show up equally in every bite.
  • The arrangement needs to sit cool and stay that way, so assemble it no more than an hour before serving or the cheese can start to sweat and everything loses its visual punch.
03 -
  • Choose apricots that are visibly plump and deeply colored—they'll taste better and look more striking in the arrangement than dried-out versions.
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds fresh if you have time; they only need a quick pan over medium heat until they pop, and the difference in flavor is night and day compared to store-bought toasted seeds.
Go Back