22 Dec Recipe: Perfect snacks for entertaining over the Holidays

We have a couple of easy-to-keep savoury snacks to try. Perfect for when visitors pop in for a visit!

Cheese Sable Biscuits
An easy favourite that can be frozen ready until you need them

Ingredients

225g / 8ozs butter

225g / 8ozs Strong cheddar cheese (can also be Parmesan cheese or a mix of both)

225g / 8ozs plain flour

1tsp mustard or cayenne or curry powder

Salt and pepper

Method

Whip all ingredients in a food processor until they form a dough. Divide the dough in to four equal parts and roll on  floured surface, each into a sausage shape. If using straight away, put dough into the fridge for 30-60mins. Slice into thinish round shapes and bake at 180C/350F for 8 mins in a preheated oven.

TIPS: If the weather is warm, cool dough in fridge prior to rolling into a sausage. If freezing dough for later use, wrap the sausage shape well in plastic wrap and put in freezer to keep. Defrost before slicing up and bake for when visitors come.

Benne Sesame Cookies from the U.S Deep South

Benne (pronounced benny) is the heirloom ancestor to modern day sesame seeds. Morgan McGlone says that even raw they have the rich, nutty flavour of toasted sesame seeds. Slaves brought benne seeds with them from Africa, and initially they were only grown in their subsistence plots. Over time the African cooks introduced them to the plantation tables and eventually modern strains were developed with more of a focus on oil production than flavour. In the South the old strain survives and is used in all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes. One of the most popular are these thin, bite-sized cookies beloved all over the South, especially in South Carolina, where they’re popular gifts and party favours. Because they are so tiny, each recipe yields a lot, so they’re ideal for sharing. You’ll likely need to cook them in a couple of batches, but they don’t take long. They keep well in an airtight container for a week or two, softening slightly over time. Extend that southern feeling by sipping a Southern cocktail with your wafers!

Download the Be Inspired recipe Benne-Wafers

Main Image: Benne Cookies from Be Inspired