Spring Entertaining
The Technique
The Essential Guide To Luncheon Canapés
Traditional luncheon canapés are much like tea sandwiches however many times they’re served open faced on regular sandwich bread or from vegetables made using shapes from cutters. When bread slices are used, a decorative finish usually tops the miniature appetizers in comparison to the tea sandwiches. The notion has evolved over time & can basically refer to almost any delicious morsel that is either artfully arranged on a platter for serving where guests may help themselves or passed on trays whilst mingling & sipping cocktails. Look to Spring Entertaining: Wonton Canapé Shells for additional ideas that can be served at your next gathering, too. Learn how to make a lovely variety of classic canapés filled with the good, fresh flavors we crave today.
Cucumber-Fresh Herb Cheese Canapés
makes about 4 dozen assorted appetizers
1 {8-oz} package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 {16-oz} loaf pumpernickel bread
1 {10 x 2 1/8-inch} large cucumber
1 English cucumber
Garnish: Fresh thyme leaves
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy & smooth. Scrape down the bowl sides occasionally. Blend in the butter. Fold the dill, the parsley, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, the garlic & the salt into the cheese mixture using a rubber spatula. Season with freshly ground pepper. Follow the instructions provided to create the desired canapés using the remaining ingredients.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Luncheon Canapés
My mother passed along my grandmother’s vintage set of canapé cutters not too long ago. They are well worn & while many of the shapes were relatively standard, those found in a deck of playing cards are also included. I’m most certain something of a similar nature were passed during bridge club. The Fresh Herb Cheese can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Follow specific instructions provided for each style to guide you as to how far in advance they can be prepared.
The Essential Guide To Luncheon Canapés
A few simple techniques & pointers will have you making tray after beautiful tray of canapés that guest will most certainly rave over. These are relatively straightforward & quick so the minimal time investment will be well worth your attention.
No. 1
The most traditional luncheon canapés are prepared with cut bread slices cut into shapes. Pumpernickle makes a good foundation as it’s sturdy with a more complex flavor than the standard complimenting the cheese & the cucumber beautifully. Expect a yield of approximately 3 {1 5/8-inch} pieces per bread slice when using this method although any shape or size may be used. There will be a bit of bread remaining that can be ground into crumbs & added to other recipes. Look to The Basics: Fresh Breadrumbs for additional pointers.
The Instructions
Cut 1 {16-oz} loaf of pumpernickel bread slices up to 1 day ahead of time & place in a zip top bag. When ready to assemble, cut English cucumber slices using the smallest setting of a mandoline & place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Fill a piping bag fit with a plain Ateco #9804 tip with the Fresh Herb Cheese & pipe the mixture in a small mound onto the bread surface. Top the cheese mixture with the cucumber slices & fresh thyme sprigs. Arrange the canapés on a serving platter in neat rows & refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving. Makes about 21 pieces.
No. 2
Stacked & filled canapés can be prepared using a similar method to that of tea sandwiches with the difference lying in the open faced nature of how they are presented. Once the crusts have been removed, rectangular & square shapes yield the most pieces. When cut into 4 larger rectangles, the thinly sliced English cucumber covers the top perfectly. If more pieces are desired, consider garnishing the top with just the fresh thyme sprigs.
The Instructions
Spread 1 tablespoon of the Fresh Herb Cheese onto 14 bread slices from a {16-oz} loaf of pumpernickel then create 7 sandwiches. Remove the crusts from the sandwiches using a serrated knife. Cut the sandwiches into rectangular shapes & wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap. Chill up to 1 day ahead of time. When ready to assemble, cut English cucumber slices using the smallest setting of a mandoline & place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Fill a piping bag fit with a plain Ateco #9804 tip with the Fresh Herb Cheese & pipe the mixture in a straight line onto the bread surface. Top the cheese mixture with the cucumber slices & fresh thyme sprigs. Arrange the canapés on a serving platter in neat rows & refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving. Makes 28 large or 56 small rectangular pieces.
No. 3
Cucumbers can serve as the base for canapés making for a lovely presentation & crisp graphic shapes. The important point to note is that the width of the cucumber will determine the size of the cutter that should be used. In order to create a pleasing selection of cucumber canapés that are scale, purchase standard cucumbers measuring approximately 10 x 2-inches.
The Instructions
The morning of the gathering, cut approximately 2 dozen 1/4-inch thick cucumber slices from a standard cucumber. Use a 1 3/4-inch cutter to make desired shapes & place on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Fill a piping bag fit with a plain Ateco #9804 tip with the Fresh Herb Cheese & pipe the mixture in a small mound onto the cucumber surface. Top the cheese mixture with fresh thyme sprigs. Arrange the canapés on a serving platter in neat rows & refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving. Makes 24 pieces.
The Tune
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