These ham and cheese canapes make cute snacks or appetizers. You can even have make-ahead canapes by preparing the bread and toppings separately and assembling them when you’re ready.

Canapes: The French Apetizeer Bread

The word canape (can-uh-pay) is French for sofa. It’s as if the toppings were sitting on a “sofa” of bread. Canapes are French appetizer breads that are made in a specific pan for the right sizing and shape, sliced, and topped.

They’re typically small, savory bread bites that can be made into works of art with the shaping and toppings. Notice how the image above shows shrimp canapes in shapes of flowers and hearts. The options are endless when it comes to making canapes.

Ham and Cheese Canapes

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • canapé bread slices, toasted if you choose
  • thinly sliced salami or ham
  • thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese
  • For garnish: thin slices of red bell pepper, green olives, thin slices of cucumber, or parsley.

Directions

  1. With your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mustard together. 
  2. Spread the mixture on canapé bread slices.  Top with salami or ham, cheese, and the garnish of your choice.

(Updated from May 22, 2014)

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