Canapé Bread
Many years ago in the United States, there was a cooking company that was built on having a hostess sponsor a party in her home, and a representative of the company would demonstrate all of its kitchen gadgets. It was one of those parties that you felt obligated to go to, and also buy something, because your friend was having the party. Even if you’d just been to one the week before!
So for the few years that this company was popular, I collected quite a few gadgets. (I don’t remember the name of this company, and I don’t know if they’re still around.)
Something I did purchase were canapé molds. I thought they were pretty cool. I purchased 2 flower-shaped molds, 2 star-shaped, and 2 heart-shaped. I used the star breads for a New Year’s party once and they were so pretty!
Here are the flower molds I’m using today:
Essentially, you bake a yeasted dough inside these molds, and slice the breads to use for canapés.
Recently I was asked to be part of a special event, and I wanted my contribution to be unique. So I decided to practice with these molds since it had been such a long time since I’d used them for caterin. Fortunately, after a little digging, I discovered the recipe that was created for these molds, although the recipe is for 3 and I only had two of the same flower-shape.
I wanted to use the recipe because I remember once I made my own bread dough and filled the molds up too much, and there was a lot of bread overflow in the oven. I think I even remember some flames.
Canapé Bread
So here’s what I did. If you need a more involved tutorial on baking bread, there is a recipe with many more photos here.
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. I keep my yeast in the freezer, and it lasts for years.
Once the yeast has dissolved, give the mixture a stir, then let the bowl sit in a warm place for about 5 minutes. The yeast will cause the mixture to rise and bubble.
Heat the milk and butter together until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm. Pour it in to the yeast mixture.
Begin adding flour 2 cups of flour. I typically keep the dough moist for the first rise. Cover the bowl, and after 1 1/2 hours, the dough will look like the second photo.
Add a generous amount of flour to your work surface and remove the dough from the bowl. It will be very soft. Carefully work flour in to the dough as you’re kneading it.
After about 5 minutes of kneading, the dough will be nice and smooth.
Add a little oil to a clean bowl, place the dough in the bowl top-first, then turn over. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise for about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in to 3 parts, and gently roll each part lengthwise.
Place the dough into a greased mold. Place the lid on the molds and place them horizontally in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees meanwhile. Then bake the molds for 10 minutes, and lower the heat to 375 degrees. Continue baking for about 25 minutes, then remove the molds from the oven.
Let them sit for 10 minutes, then remove the lids. The photo on the right shows what the bread looked like after I removed it from the oven, the photo on the left shows the bread with the “heel” sliced.
Remove the breads from the molds and let them cool. Then slice and serve.
I served them with my faux Boursin spread.
Alternative, you can place the sliced breads on a cookie sheet, brush them with oil, and toast them in the oven first before serving. This makes them firmer and easier to spread.
Either way, they add something special to a party spread.
Now, it does take a little effort to make these, especially for me because I only have 2 matching molds, but I think it’s worth it. If you don’t own molds like these, you can always use cookie cutters and cut shapes out of sliced bread.
I’m sure we all have gadgets tucked away that only get used once in a blue moon – but I’ve never seen anything like these molds – how gorgeous!!
they are cute, aren’t they? and each mold makes lots of slices – I should have counted how many…..
cutest bread ever!
Thanks!
So glad you posted this ’cause I’ve wanted to make canapé bread for years – ever since I saw the molds at the ‘King Arthur Flour’ store in Vermont. Thanks so much for posting this! ++ I pretty much took the summer off, including posting and visiting other friend’s blogs, but I’m starting to get back into the swing of it again! ; o )
You must have had a lovely summer! Glad to see you back!
I also have never seen a gadget like that, what a cute idea for a party .
The stars were really cute for my new year’s party i remember!
To your surprise, that kind of parties still happen in the suburbs! A couple of years ago, a friend of mine brought me to one thinking to make me happy (I don’t understand why people think that the only thing I’m interested in is cooking and kitchen utensils only because I use my kitchen once in a while)! Anyway, it was exactly how you described it. I was kind of horrified by the entire thing (the food was awful to say the least) and I was forced to buy something totally useless only not to be rude. It was my first and my last!
However, I have to admit I kind of like your molds. I think they can be used with different kind of doughs (sweet and sour). And I think your little tatines are super cute and perfect for a party.
Hahahahaha! Sadly, I’ve been living in a very small town for 26? years and it’s hard to say no. Even if I think it’s all crap. And none of these people cook at all!!!
I’m always looking for new ideas for canapes and think I’m definitely going to find some flower molds and try this recipe. It’s special and beautiful. I wish I had some right now!
RuthAnn Ridley
inspiringcuisine.com
I like that it’s actually good bread, and you can make any kind, of course. But you can do a lot with cookie cutters too…
I wouldn’t say that I would use these molds often but they sure would come in handy when I needed to create something special. Very nice, Mimi.
I understand – it requires a special event definitely. But each mold does make quite a few, so the labor is pretty minor – especially if you’re a bread baker!
I guess they were everywhere! Fortunately I haven’t been asked to one in many years…
A blog is a wonderful reason to get into the basement and discover old and new gadgets!!! I’ll always use these.
Look so cool, I didn’t know things like that existed!
I’d be concerned about the bread filling the shape?
I was initially surprised that the molds are cooked horizontaly instead of verticallly, but then, the dough may not rise properly. As long as the dough fills the mold at least half way, they seem to come out well, with sometimes a little blog sneaking out from the lid!
I thought the same, that they would be vertical
Oh, my! I had these molds at some point (a gift from my mother) and I wish I still had them! In fact, I never used them… Maybe I can find some on eBay? They look great, and so pretty!
so a friend told me that the company is called “Pampered Chef” and it’s still around! But probably a lot of people are trying to sell them!!!
Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
Thank you!
Never seen these molds but they are so cool, I am sure I would have purchased them if I saw them, I was a gadget person long ago.
They are really fun!
Pampered Chef! I just noticed that you mentioned it in a comment above but you had me banging my head trying to think of the name of that company. But son of a gun if I do t have one of those myself! You know I never used it because I lost the recipe they gave me for it and couldn’t even remember what I was supposed to put in there! So thank you…now I just have to hunt around and find where I’ve put the damn thing.
I also bought this crimping thing which was supposed to be perfect for filled pastry or dough. It looks like a good sized cookie cutter and I think you fold the dough over a filling and press down on this knob thing on top which cuts and crimps the dough. Did I ever use that? NO I did not so if you got any ideas for that gadget please pass them along.
A friend of mine reminded me of the name, I couldn’t think of it at all. I’m not normally the kind who feels obligated to do anything. I’m not from this small town where I live, so that maybe helps. Like if I invite 20 people to a party, I’m told that 30 others will be mad they weren’t invited. I still don’t want people I don’t like at my party! But those damn pampered chef parties… I guess just because I cooked people really felt “honored” when I’d buy something, like an egg separator. I think there’s one somewhere, but who needs an egg separator? I use my hands! Those molds are handy, and cute, and now you have the original recipe, although any bread dough will work. Just don’t fill them too much. As far as that crimping thing, I never bought that, I dont think…. but it sounds fun!
I moved here to a very tiny town just outside of Boston and became a stay at home Mom. Well, I had no idea what that involved and got volunteered for everything from coaching soccer to room mother to getting invited to these home parties which I HATE! I got suckered into the Pampered Chef one because the person told me it was a food demo. Took about 8 minutes before it dawned on me that I was supposed to buy stuff. Not as bad as the time my friend told me how great the Welcome Wagon was in our old town and when I found 2 ladies at my front door I invited them in and offered coffee because my friend had told me that they gave some great gifts. You should have seen my face when they pulled out their Jehovah Witness materials (not saying anything about other people’s religion mind you but I’m not a fan of door to door religion).
hahahahahahahaha! oh how I wish we could compare stories.
They’re very handy, and adorable!