Your exotic fruit box will contain a carefully chosen selection of tropical goodness, full of flavour and nutritional value. It’s also a thing of natural beauty, with a striking selection of colours, shapes and textures that deserve to be shown off. Here’s how to create a fruit display that looks every bit as good as it tastes.
Start with a good foundation
The platter matters: use a tray or board that will show off the vibrant colours of your fruit to perfection. Wooden boards look natural and stylish, while marble or slate look sleek and sophisticated. The size should be appropriate for the nature of the gathering, such as a large tray for a grazing table and a smaller board for a table for two centrepiece.
Aim for colour and texture contrasts
In your exotic fruit box you’ll find a diverse range of fruits that are rich in different colours and textures. Aim for a contrast of smooth-skinned fruits such as mango, and spiky or even hairy textures such as dragon fruit and rambutan. Place purple mangosteens next to vivid yellow passionfruits and dramatic red blood oranges.
Slice and style
Aim to have a mixture of whole and sliced fruit to show off both unusual skins and interesting inner textures. For example, star fruit makes pretty star-shapes when sliced, and passion-fruit has interesting segments and seeds. For fruit with soft centres such as dragon fruit and cherimoya, scoop out the insides with balls.
Add some finishing touches
The details matter: add a few berries or fresh herbs to provide contrast and to fill in any gaps. The aim is to create a sense of abundance, so layer fruits on top of each other, and use sliced citrus fruit wheels to add to it if necessary. A sprinkle of shredded coconut will add the finishing touch.