Sweet Party Bites Recipes

SWEET PARTY BITES

Steps:

• Cream tea bites Split 6 scones. Sandwich them together with a 227g tub of clotted cream and ½ a jar of strawberry jam. Cut into quarters and serve like triangular sandwiches, pointy-side up (makes 24).
• Mini choc ice balls Use a melon baller to scoop 25 small balls of vanilla ice cream from a 500g tub. Freeze on a tray for 1 hr until solid. Melt 200g dark chocolate and spread 100g finely chopped pistachios on a tray. Dip the balls in the chocolate using a cocktail stick, then roll in the nuts and freeze for 30 mins or until serving (makes 25).
• Cheat's lamingtons Buy 2 x 350g Madeira sponge cakes. Trim, then cut into 20 x 3cm cubes. Freeze until solid. Heat 200ml double cream, then remove from heat and stir in 200g chopped white chocolate until melted. Cool a little. Spread 2 cups of desiccated coconut on a tray. Dip each frozen cake completely into the chocolate, then roll in the coconut to coat all sides (it might help to hold each cake on a skewer). Firm up on baking parchment for at least 30 mins before serving (makes 20).
• Apple & marzipan tarts Thinly roll out a 375g pack puff pastry. Divide into squares (roughly 20 x 5cm), then prick each all over with a fork. Spread onto baking sheets. Peel, core and slice 2 Bramley apples into 2cm pieces. Place a small slice of marzipan on each square (you'll need about 200g), top with some apple and bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10 mins until crisp. Dust with icing sugar to serve (makes 20).
• Lemon fancies Use a 4cm pastry cutter to cut out 20 circles from bought lemon tarts (you'll need 2 large tarts). Top each with a raspberry and dust with icing sugar.

SAVOURY PARTY BITES

Steps:

• Mango & Prawn skewers 3 limes, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 chopped and deseeded red chilli and 1 tbsp chopped coriander. Cut a large mango into 20 chunks. Thread each onto a small skewer with a large cooked prawn (20 prawns will be about 250g/9oz). Marinate the skewers in the lime dressing for 1 hr (makes 20).
• Little caviar jackets Put 20 small new potatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast for 25 mins at 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then cool to room temp. Cut a small cross in the top of each one, push open a little and top with 1 tsp crème fraîche and some caviar (makes 20).
• Sticky squash with sesame seeds Peel a large butternut squash. Cut into 20 x 3cm squares, then mix with 1 tbsp each of soy sauce, sesame oil and honey. Arrange the chunks on a large baking tray lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp sesame seeds, season and bake for 20-25 mins at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 until crisp. Put a cocktail stick in each chunk to serve (makes 20).
• Chorizo & chilli mini pizzas Use a pastry cutter to cut out 20 x 6cm circles from a pack of soft Middle Eastern flatbread or wraps. Grate 75g/2.5oz Manchego and chop 75g/2.5oz chorizo and ½ a red chilli. Scatter over the bread bases, then bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10 mins (makes 20).
• Goat's cheese on toast Roughly mash 250g/9oz goat's cheese with 2 finely chopped shallots. Toast 5-6 slices of sourdough and stamp out 20 small circles. Spread each circle with some cheese, top with a small blob of chilli jam (you'll need about 3 tbsp) and scatter with chives, snipped from a small packet (makes 20).