3 Christmas Canapés To Wow Your Guests

Hosting this festive season? Whether it’s a casual drinks party or a full-on dinner (yes, even the big day), these canapés are the ultimate way to set the tone. They’re our foolproof favourites—easy to prep, quick to assemble, and guaranteed to wow your guests. Three simple, show-stopping bites to kick off your celebrations in style! And if you don’t fancy serving all 3, choose one!

We always bake our own bread for crostini because it’s surprisingly simple. But if you’d rather save time, just grab a loaf of ciabatta!

Canapé Menu:

Brie & Cranberry Tarts

Pea, Mint & Chorizo Crostini

Burrata, Pear, Prosciutto, Caramelised Walnuts & Honey Crostini

Crostini - (Shortcut - Buy 4 loaves of Ciabatta)

Ingredients - Makes 4 Baguettes

• 975g Strong White Bread Flour

• 7g Fast Action Yeast

• 750ml Water

• 2 Tsp Maldon Salt

Method

1. Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until the flour is fully incorporated.

2. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough to prove at room temperature overnight.

3. Once proved, transfer the dough from the bowl to a floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough.

4. Avoid kneading the dough to preserve the air bubbles. Instead, lightly shape it into an oval and divide it into four baguettes.

5. Place the baguettes onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 25 minutes.

6. Leave to cool, then thinly slice.

7. Arrange the slices on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil.

8. When ready to assemble your canapés, place the bread in the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes to crisp.

Pea & Mint Purée with Chorizo - Makes 24

Ingredients

• 545g Petits Pois (1 Whole Pack Bird’s Eye)

• 1 Pack Mint

• 20g Butter

• Spicy Chorizo

• Salt & Pepper to season

Method

1. Remove the mint leaves from their stems.

2. Boil the peas and mint together for 5 minutes, or until the peas are fully cooked.

3. Drain the peas and mint, then add in the butter, salt, and pepper.

4. Using a food processor or a hand masher, mix until smooth.

5. Dice the chorizo into small pieces and fry for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes slightly crispy.

6. Spread the pea and mint purée over your crostini and top with the crispy chorizo. Serve and Enjoy!

Brie & Cranberry Filo Tarts - Makes 24

Ingredients

• 1 Pack Brie

• Filo Pastry

• 250g Cranberries

• 100g Muscovado Sugar

• Juice of 3 Oranges

• 30g Butter

Method

1. To make the cranberry sauce, add the sugar and orange juice to a pan and bring to a boil.

2. Once boiling, add the cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Leave to cool. Don’t worry if the sauce looks a little liquidy; it will thicken as it cools.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).

5. For the pastry, cut 72 squares approximately 7cm x 7cm. You will need 3 squares per tart.

6. Melt the butter.

7. Using a pastry brush, brush one square with butter. Place another square on top of the buttered square, slightly offset so the edges don’t align perfectly. Repeat with a final square, then place the layered pastry into the baking tray.

8. Repeat this process until the baking tray is full.

9. Spoon cranberry sauce into each tart.

10. Cut the brie into 24 slices and use them to fill the tarts. For extra flavour, you can add a touch of thyme to the top of each tart.

11. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Burrata, Pear, Prosciutto, Caramelised Walnuts & Honey Crostini - Makes 24

Ingredients

• 1 Pot Burrata

• 12 Slices Prosciutto

• 2 Pears

• Handful Walnuts

• 60g Granulated Sugar

• Drizzle of Honey

Method

1. To caramelise the walnuts, add sugar to a pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar begins to melt.

2. Once the sugar has melted, let it turn an amber colour. Be careful not to burn it at this stage.

3. When the sugar reaches an amber colour, add the walnuts.

4. Work quickly before the sugar solidifies. Mix the walnuts until evenly coated, then transfer them onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

5. Have two forks ready to separate the coated walnuts on the baking paper.

6. Leave them to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop the walnuts, ready to sprinkle on top of your canapés.

7. Assemble your canapés by slicing your pear and adding to the crostini as a base. Top with burrata, prosciutto, walnut crumble and a drizzle of honey. Serve and enjoy!