canapes and cocktails

Veggie sausage rolls are easy to make and ideal for serving at a party or keeping in the fridge for a festive treat. These are packed with savoury cheesy stuffing and cranberries.

Veggie Sausage Rolls

175 grams/6 ounces crustless day-old wholemeal bread, torn into pieces

butter,

leeks (150 grams/5½oz trimmed weight), thinly sliced

sage leaves, finely chopped

thyme leaves

free-range eggs, 1 beaten for egg wash

120 grams/4 ounces Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), grated

grams/3½oz manchego (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), grated

500 grams/1lb 2 ounces pack all-butter puff pastry

tsp plain flour,

grams/1¾oz cranberries

salt and black pepper

Veggie sausage rolls

This classic drink belongs to the sour category of cocktails and can be made with or without egg white. I prefer it with egg white, for a silky texture and a more balanced, well-rounded drink.

Whiskey sour

grams/3½oz caster sugar

milliliters/2fl oz water

milliliters/2fl oz bourbon whiskey

milliliters/1fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Angostura bitters

The boulevardier is simply a variation on the classic negroni. The champion spirit here is bourbon, alongside sweet red vermouth and Campari.

Boulevardier

milliliters/1fl oz bourbon

milliliters/1fl oz Campari

milliliters/1fl oz sweet red vermouth

orange zest, to garnish (optional)

The negroni, when made right, is one of the best aperitifs. The key to this classic Italian cocktail is not to over-dilute it, so a quick stir is more than enough to mix the ingredients together.


Negroni

milliliters/1fl oz gin

orange slices, to garnish (optional)

With their tasty glaze, these chicken teriyaki skewers make a fab first course or party nibble. You can get ahead by preparing the sauce, threading the chicken onto the skewers and toasting the sesame seeds a couple of hours in advance.

Equipment: you will need 6 metal skewers.

Chicken teriyaki skewers

milliliters/2fl oz soy sauce

milliliters/2fl oz mirin

tbsp rice vinegar

light brown sugar

garlic clove, grated

root

tsp cornflour

chicken thighs

tbsp sesame seeds,

vegetable oil,

I make these easy sausage rolls often – they are always welcome at a picnic or party. Feel free to enhance them as you like.


Easy sausage rolls

puff pastry

flour,

egg,

sausages

The classic Italian cocktail: a combination of Aperol, sparkling wine and soda water. Sunshine in a glass and the perfect summer drink.

Aperol spritz

milliliters/2fl oz Aperol

milliliters/3½fl oz sparkling wine (such

milliliters/1fl oz soda water

A beautiful little bite of tender, rare roast beef spiked with horseradish in a baby Yorkshire pudding - glorious.

Mini Yorkshire puddings with roast beef and horseradish cream

flour

85 milliliters/3fl oz milk and water mixed

vegetable oil

tub crème fraîche

horseradish

salt and pepper

beef

flat leaf parsley,

These easy party flatbreads make such a simple canape for Christmas or New Year parties. We've used smoked salmon and chilli cheese but you can top them with anything you like. 

Easy party flatbreads  

flatbread

cream cheese

grams/1¾oz smoked salmon, sliced into 2.5cm/1in strips

½ lemon, zest only

½ tbsp small capers, drained

dill

½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

black pepper,

lemon slices,

chilli jam

grams/1¾oz cheddar, grated

red chilli, thinly sliced

The perfect Christmas party nibble. These party flatbreads are so easy to make.

Easy party flatbreads

This is a suitably festive twist on a classic sparkling cocktail, the French 75. For this recipe, you will need a coupe glass. 


Cherry 75

milliliters/2fl oz gin

lemon juice

generous tbsp maraschino cherry syrup

sparkling wine, chilled, for topping up

maraschino cherry,

While there is nothing intrinsically Christmassy about this cocktail, I do feel this is the season for sweet drinks. Both the dark raspberry and the emphatic chocolateyness of the cocoa liqueur ably fit that bill, but the generous hit of vodka means that their sugariness is held to account. Rich and warming, that first a sip gives you an instant Christmassy fireside glow. I let a sprig of rosemary play the part here of festive fir.

Christmas Martini

ice cubes

milliliters/2fl oz vodka

milliliters/1fl oz raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord)

milliliters/1fl oz cocoa liqueur (such

rosemary

To kick off the festive season Nigella makes a Christmas Martini with Raspberry liqueur, Vokda, and Creme de Cacao Blanc.

Nigella's Christmas Martini

A refreshingly zingy cocktail to get you in the festive spirit. Leave out the brandy for a non-alcoholic version. 

MB zinger

300 milliliters/10fl oz cranberry juice

150 milliliters/5fl oz bitter lemon

brandy

lime,

mint

Add a touch of sparkle to your party with a refreshing pomegranate and ginger cocktail using that very Italian ingredient, vermouth.

Pomegranate Christmas cocktail

60 milliliters/2fl oz pink vermouth

milliliters/1fl oz pomegranate juice

milliliters/1fl oz ginger ale

Venetian cocktail

This cocktail gives a Christmassy twist to a traditional summer sangria, flavouring it with cranberry and orange. 


Rylan's festive fizz

sugar,

milliliters/½fl oz French orange liqueur

milliliters/1fl oz unsweetened cranberry juice

cubes,

milliliters/2fl oz Prosecco

frozen cranberries, to decorate

Rylan makes Mary a delicious cocktail with cranberry juice, Prosecco, and orange liqueur.

Rylan's Festive Fizz

This showstopper melty cheese and puff pastry centrepiece is perfect as a starter for a Christmas meal or to serve with drinks over the festive period. It is a great recipe to have up your sleeve if you want something surprisingly simple but completely impressive. 


Top 15 canapes and cocktails recipes from across the web

The most viewed canapes and cocktails recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Veggie Sausage Rolls

Whiskey sour

Boulevardier

Negroni

Chicken teriyaki skewers

Easy sausage rolls

Aperol spritz

Mini Yorkshire puddings with roast ...

Easy party flatbreads

Cherry 75

Christmas Martini

MB zinger

Pomegranate Christmas cocktail

Rylan's festive fizz

Tarte soleil

Top 15 canapes and cocktails recipes from across the web

The most viewed canapes and cocktails recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Veggie Sausage Rolls

Whiskey sour

Boulevardier

Negroni

Chicken teriyaki skewers

Easy sausage rolls

Aperol spritz

Mini Yorkshire puddings with roast ...

Easy party flatbreads

Cherry 75

Christmas Martini

MB zinger

Pomegranate Christmas cocktail

Rylan's festive fizz

Tarte soleil

The most viewed canapes and cocktails recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Easy party flatbreads 