The popularity of canapes is growing every day. The convenient form of serving and the beauty of the snacks have led to such a widespread fashion for small sandwiches. Very quickly, the invention of French chefs spread throughout the world. Now, it is probably difficult to find at least one solemn event that would not use such a form of serving snacks as canapes. The ideas for decorating dishes in the form of small sandwiches are quite simple. However, you must know how to properly arrange and serve them. In our article we want to discuss the best ideas for decorating canapes.
Benefits of Canapes
Canapé is not only a buffet meal. The scope of this design of snacks has long gone beyond the original framework. At present, canapes are present at holidays of any level: banquets, birthdays, gatherings of friends, corporate parties at work, children's birthday parties and others.
Their advantage is that they are very convenient. In addition, their unusual shape and brightness always attracts the attention of guests. Invented a lot of ideas for canapes. However, this does not mean that you cannot come up with your own snack design. Based on basic recipes, you can come up with your own culinary masterpieces. Experienced chefs generally consider canapes a very democratic option, which makes it possible to show imagination and endlessly experiment with the filling and form.
However, for the preparation of any dish requires certain knowledge. Canapes are made from a wide variety of products using a variety of fillings. Mini sandwiches can be simple and multi-layered, spicy, sweet salty, fruit and vegetable. It is difficult to count all the possible options.
Cooking rules
Possible ideas for canapes are fully dependent on what products you can purchase based on financial capabilities. These may be more budget options or more sophisticated. In addition, it is important for what event canapes are being prepared - a solemn event or simple gatherings.
With all the variety of ideas for canapes, the technology for preparing snacks has the required components - grapes, cheese and olives. Without these products, it is simply impossible to imagine snacks. They are the final touch of the composition and give the dish an exquisite taste.
As a basis for canapes, dried or fried bread, chips, crackers, unleavened cookies are used. If you plan to use bread, then you should choose a baguette that has a denser pulp, since you won’t be able to cut the crumbly flesh, it will simply break up into crumbs. Bread preparations are necessarily dried in the oven, but you should not overcook them.
Proper serving
Canapes are often called a one-bite sandwich, which very accurately reflects the essence of this culinary miracle. The main task is not only to choose the right products and make them beautiful, but also to make it so that it is convenient to eat a snack. Very often for canapes use special skewers of different shapes and sizes, which pierce the entire culinary design. Appetizers are served on tables in large flat dishes, laying canapes with identical products in rows. A more interesting design is also possible. So, for example, for a wedding banquet, the appetizer can be laid out in the form of a heart on a dish.
In our article, we will examine in more detail the best ideas for canapes for specific holidays. For clarity, we give recipes for preparing snacks that can replenish the arsenal of housewives.
Simple canapes
Canapes have long ceased to be a purely festive option. For more significant events, more interesting and expensive products are selected. But there are times when you need to get an appetizer for a friendly get-together or for the arrival of guests. In this case, simple canapes come into play. As a rule, ordinary products available in the refrigerator are used for cooking. This can be sausage, cheese, herring, olives, cottage cheese, pickled vegetables, lard, bacon, fresh vegetables, fruits, marmalade and more.
The basis is bread, from which suitable bases can be cut using cooking molds. You can also use tartlets, filling them with delicious toppings. Simple canapé recipes are quick and easy to make. The main rule for making snacks is to choose the right combination of products. In addition, canapes look spectacular when using greens, olives, vegetables. All this gives brightness to the dish. The ideas of the canapes for the buffet are not limited to the standard options, because you can bring something new to any recipe.
Cheese Canapes
Tartlets filled with cheese stuffing with herbs is one of the simplest and fastest serving options.
Ingredients:
- processed cheese;
- tartlets;
- greens;
- mayonnaise;
- five olives;
- pepper;
- a tomato;
- garlic.
As a filling, you can use any kind of cheese, including soft varieties. In our version, we use melted, we grate it and mix with finely chopped herbs. Also add garlic, crushed through a press, and ground pepper. We fill the filling with mayonnaise.
We fill the tartlets with cheese mass, decorating with olive, a sprig of greens and a slice of tomato on top. This appetizer turns out to be bright, tasty and satisfying. Therefore, it can become a good addition to a feast.
Canapes with herring
Herring is a classic appetizer, without which not a single feast can do. However, fish can be used to make canapes. In this form, the appetizer looks much more interesting and has an unusual taste. The fish itself may seem oily, but in combination with brown bread, feta cheese and fresh vegetables, it is very tasty.
Ingredients:
- six slices of brown bread;
- as many portioned pieces of herring;
- feta cheese (160 g);
- olives (90 g);
- a tomato.
From bread slices we cut out the bases for canapes, the sizes of which are comparable with the slices of fish. On a bread we put a piece of herring, followed by a cube of feta cheese, a slice of tomato and olive. Fasten the entire structure with skewers. Instead of a tomato, you can use fresh or pickled cucumbers, and instead of feta cheese, grease the bread with cheese. There are many options for serving herring.
New Year's Canapes Ideas
New Year is the most important holiday of the year, which we all celebrate on a grand scale, which means that there are delicious and beautiful dishes on the table. The best ideas for New Year's canapes are based on the use of red fish, red caviar and other seafood. Firstly, they themselves are very bright and colorful on the table, and secondly, they go well with cheeses, vegetables, herbs, fruits. Also, do not forget about sweet canapes from fruits, berries, marmalade and sweets, which are very useful for the New Year.
Canapes with Salmon
Culinary experts have come up with a lot of cooking options for canapes with salmon. All of them are based on the classic combination of fish with cheeses and vegetables. Of course, there are more intricate options.
We offer to prepare a snack based on potato pancakes with salmon.
Ingredients:
- salmon (280 g);
- onion greens;
- potatoes (0.6 kg);
- vegetable oil;
- butter (three tablespoons);
- cottage cheese (160 g);
- greens;
- egg;
- a couple of spoons of flour.
As the basis of canapes, you can use potato pancakes. To prepare them, peel five tubers, wash them thoroughly and grind them using a grater or in a combine. Cut the onion feathers and add them to the potato mass. We also put one egg and a little flour (its amount depends on the properties of the potato). Knead the dough with your hands. Pour the vegetable oil into the hot pan and add the butter. We spread the mass with a spoon and fry the pancakes on both sides until a golden crust is formed. Then we take them out and put them on napkins so that the excess fat is gone. After the fritters have cooled completely, we apply a lot of curd cheese and chopped greens to them. Top with a slice of salmon, rolled into a roll. The composition can be supplemented with olive or sprig of greens.
Canapes with fish and cucumber on a skewer
The ideas for canapes on skewers for the New Year are very diverse. There are many options in which you can safely make your own changes.
Ingredients:
- four slices of baguette;
- cucumber;
- salmon (230 g);
- olives;
- butter.
Put butter on slices of baguette, spread a circle of cucumber on top, then a slice of salmon and olive. We fasten the canapes with a toothpick or a skewer.
Martini Appetizer
New Year's Eve is not only salads and snacks, but also alcohol on the tables. All martini lovers will appreciate canapes with cheese, marmalade and lemon. The components of this simple appetizer are a great addition to any vermouth. Among the ideas of canapes on skewers, this particular variant is original because of its unusual flavor combination.
Ingredients:
- cheese (120 g);
- marmalade (140 g);
- lemon;
- olives (80 g).
Dice cheese and marmalade. We inject cheese, a slice of lemon, marmalade and olive onto a toothpick. The appetizer is ready.
Kids Canapes Ideas
Canapes are a great option for a children's holiday. Firstly, bright snacks will surely appeal to kids, and secondly, in a beautiful design, children will quickly deal with food. In addition, canapes are convenient in that the children probably will not smear their hands and clothes.
For cooking, you can take fish, meat, sausages, cheeses, ham, chicken, vegetable slices and fruits. Sweet snacks are an indispensable part of the holiday menu for children. Oh, kids will never disregard such dishes. Even if the child does not eat any fruit or berries, then in a beautiful design, he probably will not even notice that he ate an unloved, but healthy product. In addition, fruit desserts in this design are much more useful than sweets and chocolates.
To design children's snacks, you need to purchase multi-colored skewers with decorations. They look brighter and more beautiful, such accessories will attract the attention of children. Yes, and on the table the dish will look more attractive.
Appetizer "boats"
Delicious mini sandwiches with salmon and cheese can be arranged in the form of boats with sails.
Ingredients:
- a pair of slices of white bread;
- salmon (180 g);
- butter;
- cheese (230 g).
From bread we cut out the bases for the canapes in the form of boats, dry the slices in the oven and grease them with butter. Cut the salmon so that its shape coincides with the bread base. We put the fish in oil and stick a toothpick in the center of the canapes, on which we string sails from thin slices of cheese. Appetizer can be decorated with greens.
Fruit canapes
In our article, we presented various ideas and recipes for canapes. However, it is worth remembering that fruit and candy dishes can act as snacks. They can also be served as canapes. Moreover, fruit snacks are loved not only by children, but also by adults.
For the preparation of snacks, you can take any fruit, including seasonal ones. So, for example, you can string grapes, a slice of kiwi, pineapple, cheese and strawberries on a skewer. This appetizer turns out to be bright and very tasty in summer.
No less interesting are fruit and chocolate canapes. You can string any fruit on a skewer. Take, for example, strawberries. Pour the fruit slices with chocolate icing on top. After the dessert hardens in the refrigerator, it can be served on the table.