Posts tagged canapes

Cheese Straws

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Cheese Straws

I made cheese straws for a Christmas party at uni one year and they became an infamous crowd pleaser specifically with my favourite girlies on Tyndell’s Park Road! So exam time called for supplies to fuel everyone on!

This batch included simple mature cheddar with a kick of cayenne but I also made a sage, cheddar and cumin seed variety so feel free to add whatever you like. Thyme, rosemary, Dijon mustard or marmite. I’ve left quantities out as they can literally be made with any leftover puff pastry scraps and any lonely cuts of cheese!

  • A block/leftover puff pastry (see here if you want to make your own)
  • Mature cheddar cheese (or any other strong hard cheese)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Simply roll out your puff pastry into a rectangle to a few millimetres thick. (If using marmite, mustard, pesto or any type of spread, brush the sheet with a very thin layer at this point). Brush the sheet with beaten egg.
  3. Grate over a thin layer of cheese making sure you don’t leave the edges bare. Season with a little salt and black pepper and sprinkle with cayenne if you like (At this point add any other herbs, seasonings, spices etc)
  4. Use your rolling pin to gently press the cheese onto the pastry to keep it stuck down and cut the pastry into strips about 1.5cm wide.
  5. Take the strips at both ends and twist into a spiral and place on the tray, squashing the ends onto the tray to help them stick and hold their shape. Brush any exposed pastry with beaten egg and bake for about 15minutes checking now and again until golden.

Avoid the urge to devour the lot alone. Best eaten warm but also amazing dipped into any spicy dips or spreads or served as a canape in mini form. Their greasy buttery taste goes particularly well with a glass of Champagne and Prosecco so any excuse for a glass of fizz naturally calls for these. Try this Biancavigna, Prosecco Spumante Brut NV available at Armit Wines

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Champagne and Canapes

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Champagne and Canapes

 

Ok so it was sparkling wine but it was my clear favourite in a blind tasting and its from Kent [Chapel Down- Tenterden]! Despite being my top tipple, it still hasn’t triggered any increase in its purchase in the weekly shop shockingly (I tried) However, this Kent variety is worth buying for a special occasion, which this was……

Yesterday, we proudly and inspiringly celebrated the dedicated 35 years my dad has spent working for an engineering company he joined after University. So we indulged him in some bubbly and fancy canapes. I knocked up some pillowey blinis topped with creme fraiche, salmon caviar and chives.

Blinis

  • 175ml milk
  • 40g butter
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 125g plain flour
  • 50g wholemeal flour
  • 1 ½ tsp dried yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp chopped chives,plus extra to serve
  • Oil to fry
  • Creme fraiche
  • Salmon caviar
  1. Heat the milk and butter until melted.
  2. Sift the flours, yeast, sugar and salt into a food processor or bowl.
  3. With the processor running, add the warmed milk and butter mixture, followed by the egg yolks (or whisk into the bowl if not using a processor)
  4. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until risen and airy.
  5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the yeast batter with the chopped chives.
  6. Heat a little oil in a hot frying pan and drop small spoonfuls of batter into the pan and cook for about 40 seconds per side or until golden.
  7. Reserve to a plate and leave to cool a little before topping with creme fraiche, caviar and chives. Alternatively, these blinis can be topped with anything else like salmon, goats cheese mousse etc!

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