Floating Island Cheese Wheel (Printable View)

Soft cheese wheel surrounded by blue yogurt dip and grapes creates a dramatic, flavorful centerpiece.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 1 large wheel soft-ripened cheese (e.g., Brie or Camembert), approx. 1.1 lbs

→ Dip

02 - 14 oz plain Greek yogurt
03 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - Blue food coloring (gel or natural), quantity as needed

→ Garnishes

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Place the cheese wheel at the center of a large serving platter to serve as the island centerpiece.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt; stir until smooth.
03 - Gradually add blue food coloring to the yogurt mixture, stirring continuously until a rich lake-blue hue is achieved.
04 - Carefully spoon the blue yogurt dip around the cheese wheel, forming a lake-like boundary around the island.
05 - Place seedless grapes around the edge of the blue yogurt to create a decorative border.
06 - Decorate the cheese island with fresh herbs or edible flowers as desired.
07 - Present immediately and accompany with crackers or bread on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a conversation starter that actually tastes incredible—not just an Instagram gimmick.
  • Takes fifteen minutes but looks like you spent hours plotting a culinary surprise.
  • Works for vegetarians, gluten-free eaters, and people who think they don't like soft cheese.
02 -
  • If your yogurt is very thin or runny, it won't hold the color effect or look like water—Greek yogurt makes all the difference, and if you only have regular, drain it through cheesecloth for an hour first.
  • The blue color will deepen slightly as it sits, so go a hair lighter than you think you want it initially.
03 -
  • Make the yogurt dip up to four hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; assemble everything else just before guests arrive so the cheese stays perfectly creamy.
  • If you're nervous about the color stability, use gel coloring and add a tiny pinch of cornstarch to the yogurt—it'll hold everything in place beautifully.
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