A Pink & Red Valentine’s Day Candy Board

I’ve been sort of obsessed with the idea of a “dessert board” for a while now. It’s a simple idea: candy and chocolate and sweets arranged artfully on a platter, modeled after the classic cheese plate. Plus, it’s no-bake! Which is always nice.

SO! In anticipation of a very early Galentine’s night-in at my apartment here in San Francisco, I picked up some candy from Miette (the cutest little candy shop near-ish to my apartment) and Trader Joe’s, dusted off a small marble cheese board, and got to work. The result: this!

*sniff.* Isn’t she beaut?

I thought I’d keep the sugar rush going by sharing a few tips on how I actually put this whole thing together. It’s obviously pretty simple (like, candy –> board, donezo), but I feel like some of the tips I share below might help you out.

Select candies of similar colors.

I think one reason why this board works so well visually is the simple fact that there’s such a gorgeous cohesion to it. A ton of candy in different colors just wouldn’t be as striking…and it’s all about that “first look” wow factor. So, try to keep all the things on the board looking like they “go together.” Generally, depending on the holiday or occasion for which you’re making this, you’ll want to match that particular color scheme when you’re selecting colors for the candy. Lest you startle a group of unsuspecting houseguests by whipping out this very pink board on, say, thanksgiving.

But…as always, you do you.

Vary texture and type.

I went with crunchy pretzels, round non-pareils, heart-shaped gummies, and a few whirly-twirly, old-school candies…plus tiny mini marshmallows, fresh strawberries, and long, thin pocky sticks. Basically, I did my best not to repeat any shapes or sizes so that the board wouldn’t look it was just overflowing with more and more of the same. Ya know? Also, you really never know if you’ll have a guest who doesn’t actually love sour candy—gasp—and so on. So it’s also just in your best interest to keep the types of snacks varied.

Don’t be afraid to arrange and rearrange!

Here’s the thing: When you’re putting together a real cheese board, you don’t have much of a choice when it comes to shifting things around. Once the cheese is sitting there on the board, it’s either melting or crumbling or about to melt or crumble, and to move it elsewhere on the board would require a superhuman level of patience and cheese-goop-smudging skills.

But! In the case of the candy board, there’s no mistake too big. or small. Don’t love how one of the candies looks? Rearrange it! Don’t feel attached to the location of the pretzels? Rearrange ’em! Don’t love the look of your entire board? Start over!

Evolution is key, friends. In life and in dessert.

Pair with wine or cocktails to keep things feeling grown-up.

If you’re going candy-candy-candy with your snack selection, it’s a good idea to keep the rest of your get-together a little more sophisticated and adult—whether that’s via a cocktail pairing, or chic little décor touches, or a healthier pre-dessert meal. Or something. That way, this particular element will come across as a tongue-in-cheek, just-for-fun addition to an otherwise really beautiful, mature party scene. As opposed to a totally out-of-left-field shift into JUVENILITY.

You know.

Ok. Is that it? Yes. That’s it, I think! I hope you go ahead and make this — whether for Valentine’s or Galentine’s or a date night or a very confused Thanksgiving dinner. It’s such a fun, creative exercise. And you get to eat candy at the end of it. Few things better than that.

P.S. Plenty more Valentine’s Day inspiration right over here, if you’re looking for it!