Vodka jelly shots and Parmesan palmiers: Amazing party appetisers
LIFE is a canapé with tempting appetisers to get the party started.
Life is a canapé with tempting appetisers to get the party started
Blackberry and vodka jelly shots
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 8 hours’ setting time
Cooking time: 10 minutes
For the vodka sour jelly:
8 sheets of gelatine
200ml (7fl oz) vodka
150g (5¼oz) sugar
150ml (5¼fl oz) lemon juice
300ml (10½fl oz) elderflower pressé
For the blackberry jelly:
6 leaves of gelatine
225g (8oz) blackberries, plus 8 to serve
75g (2¾oz) caster sugar
100ml (3½fl oz) raspberry cordial
100ml (3½fl oz) water
100ml (3½fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice
For the vodka sour jelly, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft.
Place the vodka and sugar in a large saucepan then bring to a simmer. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves and whisk into the vodka mixture until it’s fully dissolved.
Remove from the heat, whisk in the lemon juice and elderflower pressé then transfer to a jug.
Place 8 small glasses on a flat surface in the fridge and carefully pour 100ml (3½fl oz) of jelly into each glass. Close the fridge door gently so you don’t slosh the liquid around. Allow to set for at least 4 hours.
For the blackberry jelly, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft.
Place the blackberries, caster sugar, raspberry cordial and water in a large saucepan then simmer for 5 minutes.
Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into another saucepan, making sure you get all the liquid, then bring back to a simmer.
Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves and whisk into the blackberries mixture until it’s fully dissolved.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the orange juice.
Transfer into a jug then carefully pour 75ml (2¾fl oz) into each glass and allow to set for at least 4 hours.
Cured ham, basil and Parmesan palmiers
Makes: 20
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
50g (1¾oz) basil
50g (1¾oz) Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp flaky salt
A good grind of pepper
1 puff pastry roll
6 slices of cured ham (Parma, serrano etc)
1 egg
Place the basil, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor then blend until almost smooth.
Unroll the pastry and evenly spread the basil mixture all over it.
Lay the ham slices evenly over the basil and pastry.
With the long edge of pastry in front of you, tightly roll each short side of the pastry in towards the middle until they meet.
Beat the egg and brush it down the middle of the 2 rolls so that they stick together.
Carefully lay on a baking tray and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up a little.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove the roll from the freezer and cut 1cm (½in) slices.
Place on the parchment-lined baking tray and brush with some more beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes until puffed and golden.
Leave on trays to cool a little. These are best served warm or they can be stored for 3 days in an airtight container.
Tempura prawns in tangy Asian salsa verde are bound to impress (left)
Tempura prawns and Asian salsa verde
Makes: 20
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
For the Asian salsa verde:
30g (1oz) coriander
10g (¹/³oz) mint
20g (¾oz) Thai basil
2 green chillies
2 spring onions
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp rice-wine vinegar
2 tsps yuzu sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 garlic clove, peeled
15g (½oz) peeled fresh ginger
1 pear, cored
1 tsp flaky salt
For the tempura prawns:
500ml (17½fl oz) corn or groundnut oil, for deep frying
100g (3½oz) self-raising flour
50g (1¾oz) cornflour
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp flaky salt
200ml (7fl oz) sparkling water
20 prawns
1 tbsp plain flour
Lime wedges, to serve
Place all the salsa ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. Spoon the salsa into a bowl and place in the fridge.
Add the oil to a large saucepan and heat up to 180°C/350°F.
Sift the self-raising flour and cornflour into a bowl. Add both types of sesame seeds and the flaky salt then mix well.
Whisk in the sparkling water a little at a time until it becomes a loose batter. Do not whisk it too much as you will draw out the starches in the flour and make a heavy batter.
Dust the prawns with plain flour then dip them into batter. Carefully drop them into the hot oil 1 at a time, making sure they don’t stick together – you will need to do this in 2 batches.
Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden and place on paper towel to drain off a little oil.
Serve with lime wedges and Asian salsa verde, to dip into.
Polenta, Dolcelatte cheese and fig
Makes: 16
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 30 minutes’ cooling
Cooking time: 20 minutes
550ml (1 pint) porcini stock
150g (5¼oz) polenta
50g (1¾oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
25g (¾oz) butter
Salt and pepper
150g (5¼oz) Dolcelatte cheese
100g (3½oz) cream cheese
1 fig
2 tbsps runny honey
½ tsp truffle oil
2 tbsps olive oil
Bring the porcini stock to the boil then add the polenta. Turn down to a medium heat and stir frequently until thick and bubbling – you’ll need to check the cooking instructions on the packet.
When the polenta is cooked, stir in the grated Parmesan and butter then season to taste. Spoon into a baking tray lined with parchment paper spread out until 2cm (¾oz)thick. Smooth the top by placing another layer of parchment paper on top and gently smooth with your hand. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, crumble the Dolcelatte into a bowl. Mix in the cream cheese gently until smooth.
Cut the fig into 16 wedges.
Mix together the honey and truffle oil.
When the polenta is cooled and set, slice into 2x5cm (¾x2in) fingers.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and fry the polenta for 3 minutes each on 2 sides until beautifully golden.
Spread the Dolcelatte cream on the fingers and top with fig wedges.
Drizzle with truffled honey and serve.
Decorate vanilla shortbread with gorgeous raspberries
Vanilla shortbread and raspberry Chantilly
Makes: 20-25
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 45 minutes in the fridge
Cooking time: 15 minutes
160g (5¾oz) butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
60g (2oz) sugar plus 2 tsps for dusting
150g (5¼oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
60g (2oz) cornflour
300ml (10½fl oz) double cream
200g (7oz) raspberries, plus extra to decorate
1 tbsp raspberry liqueur or raspberry cordial
150ml (5¼fl oz) mascarpone cream cheese
Freeze-dried raspberries, to decorate (optional)
Cream together the butter, vanilla bean paste and sugar in a large bowl with an electric whisk.
Sift in the plain flour and cornflour. Mix together and knead until it becomes a nice soft dough.
Dust the dough with a little extra plain flour and roll out until it is the thickness of a £1 coin. Prick the dough all over with a fork.
Using a round 3cm (1¼in) pastry cutter, cut out as many shortbread disks as possible – you should get 20-25. Place the disks on a parchment-lined baking tray and chill for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/gas mark 2½.
Bake the shortbreads for 15 minutes until just lightly browning. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the additional sugar. Leave on the tray for a couple of minutes to set a little then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Lightly whip the double cream in a bowl to soft peaks.
Crush the raspberries and liqueur or cordial in another bowl then gently mix in the mascarpone until smooth.
Gently fold together the double cream and mascarpone then spoon into a piping bag.
Pipe on to each shortbread, decorate with the raspberries and sprinkle with the freeze-dried raspberries, if using.
Photographs by Winfried Heinze
Recipes written by home economist Dominic Hoile