Its never too early to start planning the menu for your Christmas drinks. These wonderfully simple shortbread-like cheese biscuits make the ultimate canapé when topped with your favourite flavour combinations. Or they’re delicious just on their own!
I adore canapés. Tiny little bite size flavour bombs. And these little cheese biscuits make the ultimate base for just about any savoury flavour combination you can think of. I topped mine with beetroot relish, blue cheese and fresh pear. And an amazingly simple smoked salmon and dill mousse. And my favourite – balsamic onion jam and feta.
A couple of years ago I hosted a High Tea at home for some of my favourite ladies (you know who you are, and don’t you think its time for another one?!!). We each prepared a couple of plates of delectable finger food and dusted off the good china for a truly delightful afternoon. The idea for these little cheese morsels came from my sisters mother-in-law.
She brought a plate of these and they were hands down the dish of the day. Her recipe was perfect for a civilised High Tea, but I wanted to pep it up a bit to make this canapé. I added herbs and cayenne pepper and upped the cheese ratio. The result was these amazing little biscuits that really stand up to the strongly flavoured toppings. And they are perfect with a glass of bubbles!
These little canapés are so lovely and easy to make. I like to make them a day ahead because I find the cheese flavour is stronger when they’re not fresh from the oven. Then its just a matter of choosing your topping and your platter is ready. Do try my easy smoked salmon and dill mousse, its so quick and so delicious. And the balsamic onion jam is a real winner!
This recipe has been featured in ’15 gorgeous party appetisers’ on The Kitchen Addiction.
The ultimate canape
These perfect little cheese biscuits are the ideal base for your favourite topping, making the ultimate canape for the party season!
Ingredients
- 80 g butter softened
- 200 g cheese grated
- 1 tbsp parmesan powdered
- 1/4 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 200 g flour
- 2-3 tbsp milk
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 190C Bake. Line a baking tray with greaseproof or parchment paper.
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In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until pale and fluffy.
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Add the grated cheese, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and beat well to combine. Sprinkle over the cayenne pepper and herbs, sift on the flour.
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Bring the mixture together gently to form a soft dough. If it is too dry and crumbly, add the milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture forms a ball. Note - you may not need all the milk, just add enough to bring the mixture together.
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Lay a sheet of greaseproof or parchment paper onto a work surface and roll the dough out to approximately 1/2 cm thickness. Cut the dough into 1 inch squares, or the shape and size of your choice.
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Carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
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Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
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Once completely cool top with your favourite flavours for the ultimate canapé, or store in an airtight container.
My favourite toppings are my smoked salmon mousse or balsamic onion jam and a cube of feta cheese.
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