Victorian Cameo Cheese Olive (Printable)

Creamy cheese medallions topped with black olive tapenade and fresh herbs for elegant snacking.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 7 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or cream cheese

→ Tapenade

02 - 2.8 oz black olive tapenade (store-bought or homemade)

→ Garnish & Base

03 - 4 slices rustic baguette or gluten-free crackers (optional)
04 - Fresh herbs (such as thyme or chives), finely chopped, for garnish
05 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

# How To Make It:

01 - Shape the cheese into four thick oval medallions approximately 0.8 inch thick and place each on a serving plate or atop bread or cracker if using.
02 - Spread a thin layer of black olive tapenade onto each cheese oval using the back of a spoon or small spatula, creating a cameo silhouette. Optionally, use a stencil or freehand a decorative shape.
03 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil around each cheese medallion and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh herbs.
04 - Present immediately with additional bread or crackers on the side, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes fifteen minutes, making you the hero of any gathering.
  • The contrast between creamy, tangy cheese and briny, umami-rich olive is pure sophistication without pretension.
02 -
  • Cold cheese holds its shape infinitely better than room-temperature cheese, so don't skip letting it chill before you shape it—this is the difference between elegant and sloppy.
  • The tapenade layer should be thin enough to see the white cheese beneath; thick globs lose the whole visual conversation and can overpower the delicate cheese.
03 -
  • Room-temperature cheese is your enemy—keep it cold right up until serving, and the whole thing holds together beautifully with clean, confident lines.
  • Use a warm, slightly damp spoon for spreading the tapenade, and you'll get professional-looking results without the frustration of it sticking and tearing.
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