Bought-in canapé bases can be either not very nice or very expensive or both – so I make mine quickly, easily and cheaply. As they keep happily in an air-tight tin, I make them up to about three weeks in advance.
Using a small 1 inch round pastry cutter for a bite-size base, cut-out rounds from ordinary sliced bread (brown or white – whichever you prefer). If you’re careful, one slice should yield five bases. Dip the rounds in sunflower oil and bake off in a medium oven (180C, gas mark 4) for about 15 – 20 minutes until golden and nicely dried. Leave to cool before storing.