Derby Day Benedictine Cucumber Canapés

Cream cheese and cucumber Benedictine on toasted rounds, garnished with dill—24 elegant Derby Day canapés.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded

02 - 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

03 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

04 - 1 tablespoon grated yellow onion

05 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

06 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

08 - Pinch of ground white pepper

09 - A few drops green food coloring (optional, for traditional look)

10 - 1 baguette or 12 slices white sandwich bread

11 - 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

12 - Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

01 - Grate the peeled, seeded cucumber for the Benedictine spread. Place in a clean cloth or paper towel and squeeze out excess moisture.

02 - In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, grated onion, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth.

03 - Fold in the grated cucumber and a few drops of green food coloring if desired. Chill for 10 minutes for flavors to meld.

04 - Slice baguette into 24 thin rounds, or cut sandwich bread into desired shapes using a round or oval cutter. Optionally, toast lightly.

05 - Spread about 1 tablespoon of Benedictine onto each bread round.

06 - Top with a thin slice of cucumber and garnish with a dill sprig. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

01 -

Nobody expects just how refreshing and fancy cucumber sandwiches can taste with Benedictine’s herbaceous creaminess.
They come together in under half an hour, making you look like you planned for ages.

02 -

I once skimped on squeezing out the cucumber and ended up with a watery, sad mess—don’t cut corners here.
Letting the Benedictine chill even for just 10 minutes transforms it from good to unforgettable.

03 -

Use a serrated knife for the cleanest bread slices—ragged edges don’t make for elegant bites.
A quick freeze of your bread before slicing helps you get uniform, uncrumbly rounds.