Angie’s café was founded in 2013, in Chiswick, London. From becoming a local hotspot, to providing delicious canapes and platters for locals’ events, Angie’s remains an important figure in West London’s hospitality community. Founded by Angie Steele, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef with an impressive culinary track record, she has imparted her vision for a cosy, ambient atmosphere for all to come enjoy breakfast, brunch, or a maybe even a casual-yet-chaotic brunch.
Angie’s Café has a sister catering business, delivering fresh, made-to-order platters for both domestic and corporate events. Angie’s catering services offers an array of sweet and savoury canapé, salads, wraps, and more. Angie’s likes to keep it in the family, as all catering-related food is prepared on-site, in the café itself. With a loyal, local following, Angie’s café is more than a cosy place to eat – it is a cosy place to relax and relish in good company.
Sweet Canapes: Fusion Of Exotic Cuisines
Sweet canapes can be seen as a vessel for culinary and artistic intersectionality. Chef’s can use sweet canapes as a canvas to explore the depths of their culinary skills. The fusion of cultural influences not only broadens the culinary experience, but pays homage to a diversity of culinary origins.
By incorporating exotic ingredients from various cultures, one can potentially transform traditional sweet canapes into extraordinary treats. For example, matcha from Japan is commonly used as an infusion in various mini cheesecakes or macaroons, contrasting the sweetness with a slightly bitter, earthy flavour.
As seen in the Blueberry, Pistachio, and White Chocolate Mini Almond Cakes, the pistachio is a perfect example of incorporating exotic ingredients to the world of sweet canapes. Pistachio is often associated with Middle Eastern cuisines and adds an exotic element with their distinct, slightly sweet, and earthy flavour. Their unique taste and vibrant green colour enhances the overfall flavour depth and visual appeal of the dessert.
Moreover, the Lemon and Elderflower Mini Almond Cakes carry through delicate flowery notes from the elderflower. Derived from the Elderflower tree, this culinary element is a prominent ingredient in Scandinavian cuisine, where it is used mainly as a syrup to flavour a variety of drinks. Elderflower’s subtle, sweet, and slightly musky flavour is a perfect complement to the tartness of citrus – evoking the essence of traditional Danish desserts.
Angie’s Baked Ricotta and Hazelnut Cheesecake is, at its core, an amalgamation of different cuisines. The ricotta cheese is commonly used in Italian cuisine and has a mild, slightly sweet flavour. Ricotta complements hazelnut really well, which is a common Middle Eastern confectionery. Hazelnuts are buttery and rich in texture and add significant depth to the baked ricotta and hazelnut cheesecake.
Sweet Canapes: The Fusion Of Science
Sweet canapes offer a world of endless possibilities, with limitless depth and complexity. At Angie’s, our sweet canapes are sure to make your mouth water with all of our flavour combinations. Sweetness is usually paired with acidity, a flavour most commonly found in different fruits and citruses. Combining sweet and citrus provides the dish with depth that, ultimately, sets out to enhance an individual’s overall tasting experience.
Our taste buds have the capacity to detect five primary flavours: sour, salty, sweet, bitter, and umami. Balancing a combination of these flavour profiles are key to achieving delectable flavours. The inherent sweetness of chocolate, for example, can easily be subdued with the acidity of fruits.
Paring chocolates with fruits, such as berries and lemons, is a common practice most of us are familiar with. For example, white chocolate is extremely rich and sweet and pairs well with tart berries, lemons, and oranges. These combinations help develop the flavour profile of the white chocolate and present a more well-rounded flavour. The combination of sweet and acid is not just a traditional practice, but is founded in science.
A way to combine the flavours of chocolate and fruit, is by combining it with fruit purees, zests, or adding in dried fruit pieces. More importantly, this practice is not just for flavour enhancement, but contributes a unique overall textural experience. For example, at Angie’s you can order the Chocolate Brownies with Berries which provide a rich, bittersweet profile of chocolate that is complemented by the natural acidity and tartness of the berries. Berries naturally contribute a slight tartness to dishes that contain a slight bitterness.
The White Chocolate and Macadamia Blondies is another good example of how the intentional curation of flavours is instrumental in providing a memorable tasting experience. The white chocolate contributes a buttery creamy flavour which is balanced with the tartness of fresh raspberries. This sweet canapé has a cream cheese frosting which brings more of a tangy flavour, contrasting the sweetness of the white chocolate, further contributing to the canapes depth of flavour.
Angie’s delicious Lemon and Elderflower Mini Almond Cakes are also available for your next event. These delicious sweet canapes perfectly balance varying flavours and textures to create an end product that is simply delectable. The lemon, for example, adds a bright, zesty acidity that not only contrasts the cake’s sweetness, but also the floral profile of the elderflower. Elderflower is a plant which offers a unique, fresh flavour, with notes of pear and lychee. The delicacy of the elderflower pairs well with the citrus, bringing a complementary flavour balance, without one overpowering the other.
Angie’s café also offers the Baked Ricotta and Hazelnut Cheesecake Platter which captures sophistication and flavour, all in one bite. The ricotta cheese offers a mild, sweet taste with a slight grainy texture, while the hazelnuts provide a rich, buttery flavour, with more earthy undertones. By heating up the macadamias, you achieve the Maillard reaction, which is when the heating process adds depth of flavour to an ingredient . The final component to tie the deliciousness all together, is the chocolate buttercream. The chocolate buttercream adds a smooth, sweet, and slightly bitter element to this sweet canapé, enhancing its entire flavour profile.
Sweet Canapes: Dietary Inclusiveness
In today’s health-conscious society, the demand for nutritious food is ever-present. With a focus on inclusivity, we want all individuals to enjoy our bite-sized delights. Angie’s sweet treats do not compromise on flavour, even when accommodating for a range of dietary specificities.
At Angie’s, we recognise the importance of dietary inclusion and want everyone to revel in the indulgence. For this very reason we have included a Vegan Caramel Shortbread canapé which has been made with gluten-free flour to accommodate those who are more sensitive to gluten. This sweet canapé is fundamentally plant-based, making it the perfect treat for anyone. Angie’s also has Vegan Raspberry and Coconut Brownies which combine the depth of dark chocolate with the natural sweetness of raspberries, but with the included richness and texture of coconut. This satisfying dessert is also plant based and gluten-free, offering the duality of deliciousness and vegan-friendly indulgence.
Angie’s emphasises the use of natural, high-quality ingredients in our sweet canapes, contributing to both flavour and nutritional value. As it stands, at Angie’s ‘We Like It Raw’ and incorporating only the freshest fruits and berries is a way we try to naturally enhance flavours, without adding any unnecessary artificial sweeteners. Adding fresh fruit and berries also adds nutritional value, which offers a boost of extra vitamins and antioxidants. Ingredients such as pistachios and almonds are also included in many of Angie’s sweet canapé options, which provide essential healthy fats and proteins.
Most importantly, the bite-sized nature of canapes aligns itself with principles of mindfulness, in the form of mindful eating. This allows the individual to enjoy a range of flavour and treats in moderation. This approach enables guests to indulge without overconsuming, supporting the overall concept of a balanced lifestyle.
Sweet Canapes: A Brief Walk Through Time
Canapes started in 18th century France, where the bite-sized appetizers were traditionally served on top of bread or pastry. The term canapé translates to “couch”, reflecting the idea of toppings resting on a base – similarly to how one would lay on top of a couch. Initially, canapes were savoury snacks featuring classical ingredients such as meats, cheeses, and spreads.
However, as the practice of the culinary art evolved, the concept revolutionised to include sweet variations of canapes. The inclusion of sweet canapes was most likely a product of the growing popularity of afternoon teas and dessert receptions, where the bit-sized delicacies made a regular appearance. Today, sweet canapes commonly incorporate elements such as fruits, creams, and chocolates, which almost always come as a topping on mini pastries or biscuits.
What is better than eating something sweet? Having something that is small enough to eat in one bite, giving you the luxury of sampling a variety of sweet delicious things. Sweet canapes are perfect in that they are designed mainly for ‘ease-of-consumption’. Not only are they easy to eat, but offers an aesthetic appeal that is impossible to ignore. Sweet canapes strike the perfect balance of elegant-yet-functional. Sweet canapes are the true perfect party favour, seamlessly slotting into events of any occasion.
If you are someone looking to elevate your guests’ experience at a celebration or more casual social gathering, then having sweet canapes can be the perfect way to spice things up. Angie’s sweet canapes are very versatile as they can add flavour to any event.
Sweet Canapes: Final Thoughts
Choose from an array of sweet canapes today, at Angie’s. We will perfectly embellish all kinds of events, as can assure you that our canapes are packed with flavour and creativity. We are sure to make sure each order is packed and made with love, as we are focused on quality and inclusivity. At Angie’s, we have the food covered, so you and your guests can focus solely on enjoying yourselves. Our sweet canapes come in an array of beautifully curated flavours, designed to tingle your tastebuds long after the party has ended
At the heart of Angie’s values is the use of natural, high-quality ingredients. Our persistent dedication ensures that our canapes have superior flavour and raw, nourishing ingredients. The bite-sized nature of sweet canapes helps promote and encourage the act of mindful indulgence, encouraging a more balanced approach to eating. By offering small, bit-sized delights, Angie’s helps guests savour the experience without overindulging, aligning with a health-conscious lifestyle.
Take your event to the next level with Angie’s sweet canapes, where exceptional taste meets beautiful curation.
