The Christmas savory candles are an original Christmas appetizer (or for New Year’s Eve), scenic, super cute, very quick, and incredibly tasty. You have surely seen and revisited savory candles made with white bread, which have never really impressed me, as they seemed more attractive than tasty. However, I assure you that these ones, besides being tastier, are also much simpler and quicker to make! They use emmental cheese which, with its grooves and “holes”, closely resembles candles once lit when the wax melts. The flame made with pickled onion is super realistic! You absolutely must try these delicious Christmas savory candles; they are also perfect for creating a beautiful edible centerpiece. You’ll make a great impression with little effort and impress all your guests!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 15 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
Ingredients
- 7 oz emmental cheese
- 1.75 oz cream cheese
- 15 slices salami
- 15 pickled onions
- 1 slice white bread
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Steps
The Christmas savory candles are very simple and quick to prepare. First, take a slice of white bread and, with a small round cutter (I used the base of a pastry bag tip with a diameter of 1.4 inches, but a bottle cap or a small glass of the same size works too), cut out circles, trying to optimize space. I made 15.
Place the bread circles on a baking sheet, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top, and bake in a preheated oven at 392°F for 5 minutes (or in an air fryer for 3-4 minutes).
Meanwhile, slice the salami and remove the skin. Cut the emmental cheese into strips about 2 inches long and 0.4 inches thick.
Take a bread circle, spread a little cream cheese on it, and place a slice of salami on top. Spear a piece of emmental cheese with a toothpick (sliding it in the middle, above and below the cheese should be a bit of a toothpick), and place it on the salami. Create the candle flame by placing a pickled onion on top of the cheese.
Proceed in this way to make all the Christmas savory candles.
Tips:
The Christmas savory candles can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days. You can prepare them in advance by baking the bases the day before and storing them in an airtight container. Also, prepare the skewers with salami, cheese, and pickled onion ahead of time, but assemble the candles by spreading the cream cheese on the bread and then adding the pre-made skewer the following day so that the bread remains crisp (if you prefer it softer, assemble everything the day before). For a no-bake version, you can skip toasting the bread or use small croutons or savory crackers.
More Christmas appetizer recipes HERE
