If you don't mind a softer cheese ball, you can make and serve it right away (no need to refrigerate).
Ingredients
8ozcream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2cupssmoked Gouda, grated
10-15grinds black pepper, use smallest setting on the grinder
1Tbsp.crispy bacon, cooked and chopped
1/8tsp.garlic powder
1/8tsp.red pepper flakes, optional
1cupchopped pistachios
1honey crisp apple, sliced
8ozsalami, made into flowers (folded in quarters)
10-12cherry tomatoes
1 4.5ozpackage 34 degree rosemary crisps
1 4.5ozpackage 34 degree cracked pepper crisps
36Lindt chocolates, in wrappers
Instructions
Mix cream cheese with Gouda cheese. Mix in the black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes (optional). Form into a ball; coat with bacon. Place nuts in a shallow dish. Roll cheese ball in nuts to fully coat, pressing them into the ball. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 2 hours (optional). Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.
Place the cheese ball on a small plate in the center of a round board. Around it, lay down the cherry tomatoes.
Around the inner outside edge, lay down the Lindt chocolate pieces.
Cut an apple in half; slice and fan each half on either side of the cheese ball.
Fill in open areas with salami flowers (folded in quarters), and fanned out crackers!