Easy Tropical Christmas Canapés & Cocktails

We bring the island vibes to you with some Indonesian-inspired Christmas party entertaining ideas.

Christmas Canapés and Nibbles

Satay with bumbu rujak sauce

Satay is a great option for a canapé – served on a stick, making it easy for your guests
to eat whilst standing and chatting. You can buy satay premade in many good supermarkets – But

our recipe is very simple if you prefer to make them yourself.  Bonus – satay is often a hit with kids.

Beef Rendang Blinis

The rich flavours and hearty meat sauce of beef rendang make it the perfect topping for a
bite-size blini. For the best rendang recipe click here! Then simply add a teaspoon of the Rendang atop a store-bought blini. To finish sprinkle fresh red chilli and coriander on the top of each one and you will have a spicy taste explosion to wow your guests.

Mini Sweetcorn fritters (V)

The vibrant sweetcorn flavour and mild spices of this simple vegetarian dish plus the beautiful yellow colour will go down well at any drinks party.  Follow this recipe but make the fritters bite-sized. 

Spice them up by serving with our fiery sambals - which are also great for dipping prawn crackers in!

Cheese platter with tropical jams

Platters full of different delicious nibbles – cheese, nuts, and honey – always look fabulous and are crowd-pleasers at any celebration. Take your cheese plate to a new tropical high with some island-inspired homemade jam. Bawah’s pineapple spiced jam is a great addition to any platter and tastes divine with brie on a water cracker.

Mango sticky rice sushi

A fresh and fruity dessert that will have your guests reminiscing about their favourite Asian meal is this mango sushi.

Simply mix some sticky rice (for extra effect try using black sticky rice, or pandan leaf-infused sticky rice for a great Christmassy green) with condensed milk and sweetened coconut. You can purchase the rice ready-made if easier.  Form the rice into a small barrel shape and wrap a thin slice of fresh mango around it. Top with toasted black sesame seeds.

Image Durr recipes blog

Drinks

Spice of Indonesia

A tropical take on the traditional gluhwein or mulled wine using delicious homegrown flavours of Indonesia like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise then stewed in red wine. This recipe is for a jug to share, serve cold or warm, and enjoy.

Ingredients

•  750 ml Red wine (preferably Merlot or Pinot Noir)

•  2 sticks Cinnamon

•  4 pcs Star anise

•  5 grams Cloves

•  1/2 Lime peel

•  1 whole Orange peel

•  100 grams White sugar

•  60 ml Orange liqueur like Cointreau or Triple sec

•  50 ml Simple syrup (optional)

Method

• Make the spiced wine reduction by adding the red wine, cinnamon sticks, star anise,

  cloves, lime peel, orange peel, white sugar into a saucepan and heat and stir until

  boiling and sugar is dissolved.

• Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour through a sieve into a sealed container

  and put it in the freezer.

• To mix the cocktail add 300ml of the frozen spiced wine reduction plus 60ml of orange liqueur, 4 ice cubes, and if you like it sweet, add 50ml of simple syrup* mixture into a

  blender.

• Blitz for 20 seconds on a medium speed. Pour into a glass and why not add a stick of

  cinnamon and a dehydrated orange for decoration?

  *Simple syrup is made by combining equal parts of water and sugar in a saucepan and

  heating and stirring until combined. 

Rosella Fields (Mocktail)

This beautiful red mocktail is about as tropical and festive as you can get.  Pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, and our homegrown rosella infusion make up this refreshing drink.

Ingredients

• 300ml Pineapple Juice

• Juice of 2 limes

• 50ml of Rosella Infusion (See how to make this here)

Method 

• Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with some ice.

• Shake for 30 seconds until all the ingredients and ice are mixed.

• Serve in a tall glass and why not decorate with a dried rosella flower or a slice of

  pineapple.

We wish all our readers and guests a very Happy Holidays wherever you are.