Cocktails and canapés: recipes and tablescapes fizzing with style

Cocktails and canapés for entertaining: tablescape laid with champagne and glasses.

Add effervescence to any event with our showstopping cocktails and canapés. Take inspiration from our exquisite tablescapes and elegant glassware, and simple but sophisticated recipes, courtesy of Wallpaper* Entertaining Director Melina Keays and Interiors Editor Olly Mason. The art of entertaining starts here.

Cocktails and canapés: hosting in style

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The gallery reception, with a Gibson cocktail

From left, glasses, from £145, by Miranda Keyes. ‘Sky’ cocktail sticks, £48 for six, by Aurélien Barbry, for Georg Jensen. ‘Abyss’ vase, $13,810, by Jan Plecháč, for Moser. ‘Dinner Service’ cup; plate, both price on request, by Donald Judd, for Puiforcat. ‘Poppea’ goblet, €125, by Sebastian Menschhorn, for Lobmeyr. ‘Amoir Fou’ fabric in 027, £158 per m, by Dedar. Paint in Carte Blanche: Au Lait, £93 for 5 litres, by Christopher John Rogers, for Farrow & Ball (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Gibson cocktail recipe

Serves 1

70 ml gin
15ml dry Vermouth
ice cubes
2 cocktail onions

Measure the gin and vermouth into a mixing glass. Add ice cubes and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve with 2 cocktail onions threaded onto a cocktail stick.

Interval pick-me-ups, with an Amaretto Sour

From left, ‘Saarinen’ side table, from £1,020, by Eero Saarinen, for Knoll, from Aram. Opera glasses, £50, from Royal Opera House. ‘Talleyrand’ votive glass, £500 for two; coupe, £1,100 for two, both by Philippe Starck, for Baccarat. ‘Sky’ cocktail sticks, £48 for six, by Aurélien Barbry, for Georg Jensen. Rouge Hermès matte lipstick, £62, by Hermès. Eyeshadow 5 Colours compact, £58, by Byredo. ‘Utrecht XL’ armchair, price on request, by Gerrit Rietveld, for Cassina. Bandanna, £180; bag, £2,300, both by Celine. ‘Mohair Ruby’ rug, from £2,902, by The Rug Company. ‘Assam’ fabric in 0004, £178 per m, by Sahco (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Amaretto Sour recipe

Serves 1

60ml amaretto liqueur
30ml fresh lemon juice
dash of Angostura bitters
15ml egg white
ice cubes
maraschino cherries

Put all the ingredients apart from the ice and cherries into a cocktail shaker and shake sharply for 30 seconds. Open the shaker and add ice cubes. Replace the lid and shake again for a further 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Candlelit concert

From left, ‘Vita Balanza’ candleholder, £654, by Marre Moerel, for Santa & Cole. ‘Wiener Stutzen’ beer tumblers, €56 each, by Tino Valentinitsch, for Lobmeyr. Napkin, €50 for two, by Campante. ‘Felix’ fabric in Angular, £235 per m, by Maharam (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Tea and symphony, with coconut macaroons and madeleines

From left, ‘Miss Dior Cannage’ dessert plate in pine green, £90; dinner plate in ochre, £120, both by Dior Maison. ‘Lily Mokka’ glasses, €47 each; saucers, €180 each, all by Kim + Heep, for Lobmeyr. ‘Grand Attelage’ coffee spoon, £290, by Philippe Mouquet, for Hermès. ‘Obelisc’ milk jug, £1,635; coffee pot, £2,925, both by Armani Casa. Candle kit, £775, by Loewe. Rouge à Lèvres Mat lipstick, limited edition, £37, by Gucci. ‘Amuleto’ fabric in 010, £254 per m, by Dedar (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Coconut macaroons recipe

Makes 12

2 egg whites
100g caster sugar
200g desiccated coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla paste
6 glacé cherries, halved
90g dark chocolate

Whisk together the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl for 2-3 mins until light and frothy, and the sugar has dissolved. Add the coconut, a pinch of salt and the vanilla, and stir until combined. Leave to stand for 10 mins. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Scoop up generous teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls with your hands. Shape them into 12 mounds and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Top each with half a glacé cherry. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden, then leave to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Dip the bottom of each cooled macaroon into the chocolate and place on a sheet of baking parchment, chocolate-side up. Place in the fridge for 20 mins, or until set.

Madeleines recipe

Makes 12-16

2 eggs
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 lemon, juice and zest
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
100g butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing

Brush the madeleine tray with melted butter then shake in a little flour to coat, tapping out the excess. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until pale and frothy. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk them in lightly, then place the batter in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spoon the batter into the prepared madeleine tray, place in the hot oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until they are golden and well risen in the centre. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Front row show

From left, ‘PK4’ chair, £2,024; ‘PK61’ coffee table, £3,926, both by Poul Kjærholm, for Fritz Hansen. Bag, £6,000, by Dior. Sunglasses, £310, by Chloé. Matches case, £690, by Celine by Hedi Slimane. ‘Octo’ napkins, £48 for six, by Los Encajeros, from Abask. ‘Mojave’ plates, £55 each, by Haas Brothers, for L’Objet. ‘Manhattan’ tumblers, €150 each, by Saint-Louis. Crystal glass with quatrefoils, £1,250 for two; Rare Cask 42.1 cognac, £47,000, both by Louis XIII, from Harrods. ‘No. 135’ silver-plated cake server, £525, by Josef Hoffmann, for Wiener Silber Manufactur, from Abask. ‘Dinner Service’ plate, price on request, by Donald Judd, for Puiforcat. ‘Plein Phare’ table lamp, €2,270, by Florence Bourel, for Saint-Louis. ‘July’ rug in 0220, £547 per sq m, by Muller Van Severen, for Kvadrat. ‘Tissu d’élégance‘ fabric in Lait, £156 per m, by Rubelli (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Cassata ice cream bombe recipe

Serves 6- 8

500ml chocolate ice cream
300ml pistachio ice cream
250ml vanilla ice cream
30g chopped dried apricots
35g chopped glace cherries
30g chopped candied orange peel
25g chopped pistachio nuts
cocoa powder to dust
1 litre pudding bowl

Take the chocolate ice cream out of the freezer to soften. Line the pudding bowl with a double layer of cling film. Spoon the chocolate ice cream into the lined bowl and spread it up the sides in a thick and even layer. Place it back in the freezer to firm for 15 minutes, then repeat the process with the pistachio ice cream. Take the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to soften, then spoon it into a bowl and fold in the chopped fruit and nuts. Spoon this mixture into the centre of the ice cream bombe , smooth the top and replace in the freezer to firm for several hours. Dust the bombe with cocoa powder before serving. 

Private view

‘Italia’ silver-plated dish, £84, by Zanetto, from Abask. German silver spoon, £375 for four-piece flatware set, by Dolce & Gabbana Casa. ‘Penumbra’ centrepiece, £549, by David Thulstrup, for Georg Jensen (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Box office hits, with lobster rolls

From left, bag £2,990, by Roger Vivier. ‘Mossi 2023’ vase, limited edition, £2,450, by René Lalique, for Lalique. Acanthus IIIA, 2023, price on request, by Shinta Nakajima, from Gallery Fumi. ‘Tourbillon’ goblets, €215 for two; wine glasses, €250 for two; candlesticks, €320 for two, all by Alya Tannous, for Christofle. ‘Taper’ candle pair, £13, from The Conran Shop. Dom Ruinart champagne, £250, by Ruinart, from Clos 19. ‘Panton’ tray, £98, by Verner Panton, for Georg Jensen. ‘Neptune’ bowl, £495, by L’Objet. ‘Amoir Fou’ fabric in 022, £158 per m; ‘Tiger Mountain’ fabric in 001, £285 per m, both by Dedar (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Lobster rolls recipe

Serves 6

500g cooked lobster meat
5 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs lemon juice
1 stick of celery, diced into small pieces
1 tbs chopped fresh chives
salt and black pepper
6 brioche rolls
3 tbs butter

Chop the lobster meat into large chunks and set aside. Put the mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery and chives Ito a bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper and mix well. Add the lobster and fold all together until well combined. Check the seasoning. Slice the rolls lengthways halfway without cutting them completely in two. Open them up to reveal the cut sides. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and place the opened rolls cut side down to warm and toast slightly in the hot butter. Remove from the pan, spoon in the lobster mixture and serve immediately.

Grand finale

Glasses, from £145, by Miranda Keyes (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Candleholders, from £360, by Pierre Yovanovitch, for Dior Maison. ‘Taper’ candle pair, £13, from The Conran Shop. ‘Dinner Service’ plates, bowls and cup, all price on request, by Donald Judd, for Puiforcat. ‘Momento’ jug, £145, by Jaime Hayon, for &Tradition. ‘Leaf ’ platter, £445, by Kelly Behun, for L’Objet. ‘Tissu d’élégance‘ fabric in Lait, £156 per m, by Rubelli (Image credit: Photography: Thomas Albdorf)

Gildas recipe

Makes 12

I jar of pitted olives
12 salted anchovies
12 pickled Guindilla chillies
cocktail sticks

Drain the olives and chillies. Take a cocktail skewer and thread a chilli first, followed by one end of an anchovy. Add an olive and then thread the other end of the anchovy onto the skewer. Serve with drinks and other appetisers.

Set build: London Art Makers. Photography assistant: Louise Oates. Interiors assistant: Archie Thomson. Fashion assistant: Kris Bergfeldt

The December 2023 Entertaining Issue of Wallpaper* is available in print from 9 November, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today!