Quick Canapes with Flavour Pearls

Here are a few ideas for some quick Canapes with Flavour Pearls to make those last minute catchups a little bit fancier. It’s nice to have a platter of bite sized pretty eats to enjoy and even better when they don’t take long to prepare!

All of these have been served on toasted Crostini bases. Which are simply slices of day old Baguette. Sliced, drizzled with Olive Oil and seasoned before baking until slightly golden and crisped. I’d made mine the day before and kept them in an airtight container. 

Canapes generally consist of 4 elements – a base, spread, topping and a garnish. Read on to hear more.

For the base

• Baguette
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 180c. Simply slice your Baguette into slices of approximately 5mm (1/2 cm). *A day old Baguette will be easier to slice as it will be a little firmer* Spread in a single layer onto a baking tray. (add a layer of Baking Paper first for easy cleaning) Lightly drizzle or brush on some Olive Oil. Add a good sprinkle of Salt and Pepper.

Into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until they are slightly golden. Cool them on the tray until required. If you don’t eat them all (they are very moreish!) they will keep well in an airtight container for around 5 days or so but are definitely at their best when freshly baked. Maybe even longer, just taste one. If it’s still nice to eat then they are still good 🙂

Now a few ideas for the toppings

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls

• Cream Cheese
• Smoked Salmon
• Shallot or red Onion – sliced finely
• Capers
• Chives – chopped (or another soft herb of your choice)
• Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls

Simply spread a little Cream Cheese onto each base. Add a piece of Smoked Salmon, a little Shallot, Caper or two and sprinkle of Chive. Finish with some Lemon & Black Pepper Flavour Pearls.  Season well.

Brie, Fig, Jamon and Davidson Plum Flavour Pearls.

• Butter – not necessary if the Brie is quite gooey and soft
• Brie – cut into small wedges or slices
• Jamon or Proscuitto slices
• Fig – cut into small wedges or slices
• Davidson Plum Flavour Pearls

Add a little swipe of Butter onto your base. Top with the Brie and some Jamon. Finish with a wedge of Fig and some Davidson Plum Flavour Pearls. Season well.

Goats Curd and Truffled Honey Flavour Pearls

• Goats Curd or other soft Cheese of your choice
• Truffled Honey Flavour Pearls

Add a generous spoonful or slice of your favourite soft Cheese onto each base and top with Truffled Honey Flavour Pearls. A herb garnish looks nice too if you have something handy. Season well.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Balsamic Flavour Pearls

• Butter
• Tomato – slice or wedge depending on the size
• Mozzarella or Bocconcini – slice
• Basil leaf
• Sea Salt & Pepper
• Balsamic Flavour Pearls

Butter each base before adding the Tomato slice (reduces chances of a soggy base). Add the Basil leaf, Mozzarella and Balsamic Flavour Pearls and lastly season well. You can’t have Tomato without seasoning!

Tasty Cheese, Pickled Onion and Shallot & White Balsamic Flavour Pearls

• Butter
• Tasty, Cheddar hard Cheese of your choice – sliced
• Pickled Onion – wedge (or a sliced gherkin or Cornichon if you prefer)
• Salt & Pepper
• Shallot & White Balsamic Flavour Pearls

Butter the base (it will help the Cheese stay put) then add a slice of Cheese, pickle of your choice, some Shallot & White Balsamic Flavour Pearls and season well.

Prawn and Avocado with Ginger, Lime & Chilli Flavour Pearls

• Mayonnaise – we used Kewpie
• Avocado – if firm enough dice finely otherwise mash and season well
• Prawn – peeled and de-veined (the tail looks nice but can be a little annoying when eating so feel free to remove too)
• Ginger, Lime & Chilli Flavour Pearls

Spread a little Mayonnaise onto each base. Top with a soonful of Avocado, add a Prawn and lastly a spoonful of Ginger, Lime & Chilli Flavour Pearls. Season well.

Pate with Pepperberry & Cherry Flavour Pearls

• Butter
• Pate – just use your favourite 
• Pepperberry & Cherry Flavour Pearls

Add a little Butter to each base. Top with a spoonful or spread of Pate and some Pepperberry & Cherry Flavour Pearls.

*a great way to use an open tub of Pate that still looks attractive*

Cucumber, Cream Cheese and Dill with Lemon Myrtle Flavour Pearls

• Cream Cheese
• Dill
• Lemon/Lime juice or some fine zest
• Salt & Pepper
• Cucumber – use a vegetable peeler to slice ribbons
• Lemon Myrtle Flavour Pearls

Combine the Cream Cheese with chopped Dill and a little juice or zest to taste. Season well. Spread a generous amount onto each base. Add a slice of rolled up Cucumber & some Lemon Myrtle Flavour Pearls. Season well.

Rare Beef with Seeded Mustard and Balsamic Flavour Pearls

• Mayonnaise
• Seeded Mustard
• Rare Beef – thin slices from the deli unless you wish to make your own
• Balsamic Flavour Pearls

Combine a little Mayonnaise with some Seeded Mustard. Spread each base with a little of the mix. Add some Rare Beef, Balsamic Flavour Pearls and season well. 

Roast Chicken and Mayonnaise with Tangerine Flavour Pearls

• Roast Chicken – chopped
• Mayonnaise
• Fresh herbs – we used Dill
• Salt & Pepper
• Tangerine Flavour Pearls

Add enough Mayonnaise to the chopped Chicken to combine. Season well and add in your chopped herbs. Simply add a spoonful onto each base and top with Tangerine Flavour Pearls.

Salami, Pesto and Native Bush Tomato Flavour Pearls

• Pesto – store bought or make your own 
• Salami, thinly sliced – use your favourite
• Spinach leaf
• Bush Tomato Flavour Pearls

Spread a little Pesto onto each base. Top with a Spinach leaf, Salami slice and Bush Tomato Flavour Pearls. Season well.

Now you have a few ideas that you can adapt for the next time the drinks are at your place. 

Until next time

From the Peninsula Larder Team

“Hear no evil, speak no evil, and you won’t be invited to cocktail parties.”

 — Oscar Wilde