Christmas is fast approaching and just around the corner. I have put together here a selection of canapes to get you in the mood for those festive nights with friends and family visiting. All are easy and straightforward recipes to follow which will defiantly go down a hit!

CANAPES – MUSHROOM CHOUX BUNS – SMOKED SALMON BILINIS – CAMEMBERT BON BONS

Serves 8 +

Ingredients:

CHOUX BUNS –

70g milk

70g water

45g butter

75g flour

Pinch of salt

2 whole eggs

Filling -

250g button mushrooms

50ml double cream

50g butter

SALMON BLINIS

90g Buckwheat flour

5g baking powder

150ml milk

1 whole egg

1tbsp vegetable oil

Smoked Salmon

Crème Fraiche

CAMEMBERT BON BONS

125g Camembert cheese

50g Plain flour

50g Butter

100ml Milk

2 ½ Gelatine Leaves soaked

100g breadcrumbs

Egg & Flour for breadcrumbs

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180c Gas Mark 4

Fryer 180c

Choux Buns –

First to make the filling slice all of the button mushrooms. In a saucepan heat the butter on a medium heat then add the mushrooms and season with a small amount of salt. On a low heat continue to cook them until they are soft and any residue from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the cream and mix thoroughly. If you have a food processor you can blend this into a puree then push it through a fine sieve or it can be chopped up until fine. Set aside until needed.

For the buns heat the butter, milk and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Once boiling add the flour and salt. The mixture will thicken quickly. Work the mix until smooth and it’s coming away from the edge of the pan. Continue to beat for around two minutes. Remove from the heat and add your eggs one by one beating in the first before adding the next. Transfer the mix to a piping bag and pipe identical size buns onto greaseproof paper. If you wish, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and cook for around 12minutes. Do not open the oven during the cooking process as it will cause the buns to collapse. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before making a small hole and piping in your mushroom filling.

Salmon Blinis –

For you blinis take a large frying pan, heat the oil on a medium heat. In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs and the milk. Gradually add in the buckwheat flour salt and baking powder. Once fully combined pour a small amount into the pan, just enough so it covers the bottom. Cook the same way as a pancake. Flip over after the first side is cooked and continue on the other. Remove and allow to cool on a rack before cutting out.

When building add a small amount of crème fraiche with a fold of good quality smoked salmon.

Camembert Bon Bon’s

Firstly soak the gelatine. Warm the milk in a pan. Melt the butter and whisk in the flour in a separate pan to make a roux. Once you have a sandy texture mix gradually add the milk. The mix will go quite thick. Add the cheese followed by the gelatine and mix thoroughly. Chill and allow to set. Roll into small bitesize balls.

In three separate bowls have some flour, whisked egg and breadcrumbs. Roll your balls into the flour dusting off any excess, then into the egg mix, then roll in to the breadcrumbs.

You can now gently lower these into the fryer, cook for around a 1 minute or until golden brown.

I have served these with onion mayonnaise which I made by slowly cooking sliced onions for around an hour in a pan until dark brown in colour, blitzing in a food processor then adding this to a mayonnaise.

These can all be made gluten free if needed, just replace the plain flour with gluten free flour or use the buckwheat flour. These recipes will give you enough for at least eight people, that’s if there is any left! Enjoy!