Starter Light Bites

The Ultimate Autumn Grazing Board

Throwing a party? This year, it's all about grazing boards. Here's the perfect party platter for your guests, filled with seasonal British produce. It evokes traditional harvest festival celebrations, and tables adorned with fruit, decorated loaves and autumnal vegetables

20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 persimmons

200g granulated sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

Drizzle of olive oil

2 whole Baron Bigod Brie (200g each)

15g flaked almonds

15g dried cranberries

Good drizzle of quality honey

8 whole figs

65g candied pecans

100g gherkins

1 whole sourdough loaf

1 packet of cheese and pumpkin seed crispbreads

3 baby cucumbers

5 apricots

150g cherries

75g blackberries

250g red grapes

10 physalis

2 sprigs of rosemary, to garnish

1 jar of fig jam, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to a moderate temperature while you slice the persimmons and combine the granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon. Lay the persimmon slices on a baking tray, drizzle them with olive oil and then sprinkle them with sugar. Bake for approximately 30 minutes before removing from the oven and leaving to cool.

Peel back the rind on the brie and place in a small ovenproof dish. Scatter the flaked almonds and dried cranberries on top, finish with a drizzle of honey, then bake the brie in the oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is soft to the touch. Place the brie in its dish on a board or tray that is approximately 40cm by 30cm.

The figs can be served as they are, or cooked if you prefer. Quarter or halve them for either option. To bake the figs, drizzle them with some honey and place them in the oven at medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until sticky and soft. Transfer to a ramekin and place on your board.

Put the candied pecans into another ramekin and place on your board. Slice the gherkins, make a little packet of brown paper to hold them and put this next to the baked brie.

Cut the bread into 4cm wedges and arrange them around one side of the brie, with the crackers on the other side. Slice the baby cucumbers into quarters and arrange them on your board. Place the apricots, cherries and blackberries around the edge of the board in neat piles.

Fill the remaining gaps with the grapes and physalis, then add sprigs of rosemary to garnish. Serve your board with the fig jam and baked persimmon slices on the side.