Canapés are more than small bites. They bring people together, spark conversation and add a special touch to any gathering.

Created by professionals, they’re tiny works of art, with perfectly balanced tastes and textures crafted to delight the senses. At the other end of the scale, canapés and finger foods flood supermarket aisles as Christmas approaches, and they’re quick to serve for sure, but often using cheap ingredients, they can disappoint on taste. The truth is, you can’t beat freshly prepared food for look, taste and impact. So then, how can we create the perfect canapé at home?

As with many things in life, there are rules to follow, but once you understand them, it’s a breeze.

THE LOOK – things to consider

• Size – the ideal canapé is small in size and big on impact. So ensure you are sticking within the confines of a bite-sized piece.
• Colour – we eat with our eyes – research tells us that the colour red can stimulate the appetite; yellow suggests richness and comfort; green adds freshness and balance and purple adds a touch of luxury and uniqueness. White, brown and black contrast these brighter toppings. Mono colour canapés give a modern look. Fresh edible flowers and micro leaves are a great way to add colour and visual appeal.
• Shape – square and round are the traditional shapes for canapés, with rectangular fingers too. Aim for a mix of shapes in your canapé selection. Vary the norm too if you can. Our canapé kits are all based on light but flavourful thins in a triangular shape, which really shows off the food.
• Height – try and vary the height of your different canapés and build as much height as you can get away with, without the toppings spilling off onto someone’s new silk dress. Layers are a great way to achieve this and they also add interest through colour and texture too.

THE TASTE – pick three. 

There are five key elements to taste and our mouths, rather cleverly, are designed to taste each of them on a different part of our tongue.

Try and ensure that each canapé includes at least three elements, to achieve that perfect balance. The graphic below demonstrates how our field canapé – a parmesan & nigella seed thin, topped with grass-fed beef bresaola and a fresh wild rocket and Sussex parmesan pesto – hits four out of the five notes.

Sweet – goes well with salty and often you’ll find foods that have both. Salad leaves and vegetables can be sweet too.

Salty – cured meats and fish, cheeses, soy sauce and seaweed are the main sources that enhance flavour and balance bitterness or sweetness.

Sour – citrus fruits, vinegar, yoghurt and fermented foods add brightness and freshness and can cut through richness.

Bitter – a sharp taste with instant impact, like wild rocket, kale, grapefruit, dark chocolate and coffee, it adds complexity and contrast and can be mellowed by sweetness or fat.

Umami – a savoury, meaty taste that adds depth and richness, often from mushrooms, aged cheese, soy sauce, tomatoes and meat.

THE TEXTURE – be sure to include two or three of these.

Creamy – a smooth, rich and velvety textures that coats the mouth in a luxurious way. Think creme fraiche, mayonnaise, whipped cheese. Feels comforting and indulgent.

Oily – a slick and viscous texture that comes from foods high in natural or added fats, like smoked salmon, or marinated vegetables. Adds richness, depth and a luscious mouth feel. Try and avoid an oily protein like salmon, combined with a creamy texture like mayonnaise. Our sea canapé kit combines smoked salmon with a tangy beetroot relish to offset the oiliness.

Granular – gritty or grainy textures are found in foods like polenta, nuts and seeds. They add a rustic, earthy feel and contrast smoother elements.

Crunchy – firm and crisp foods are satisfying and energising. You hear the sound as you bite down, adding to the sensory experience. That’s why pastry, toasted bread and savoury biscuits often form the base of a canapé.

Chewy – this texture requires a bit more effort to break down, which makes it engaging, satisfying and indulgent. Think toffee, dried fruit and cured meat.

To find out more about our canapé kits and the gift boxes and hampers in which they feature, visit our shop. Or take a look at some our favourite canapé ideas.