What to Do with Frozen Apples

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Frozen apples can be used to making apple filling for cakes, tarts, muffins, and pastries.

You can use puff pastry to make unique designs for apple turnovers and apple tarts.

You can thaw your apples overnight in the fridge, and then cook them into a brown sugar sauce for a sweet apple filling for strudels and turnovers.

What to Do with Frozen Apples

Apple turnovers

Apple turnovers are made by baking the apples into a brown sugar and cinnamon sauce.

The sauce coats the apples as they bake in the oven to soften them.

The apple filling is transferred into a piece of puff pastry.

The puff pastry is folded over the apples and is sealed closed.

Egg is brushed onto the apple puff pastry to make it have a glossy look when it comes out of the oven.

Granulated sugar is sprinkled over the pastry to make it have a sugary crust while it cooks.

A few slits can be made in the top of the pastry to let the filling ooze out as the apple puff pastry dessert cooks.

Once the dessert cools down, a vanilla glaze is drizzled on the top of them right before serving.

What to Do with Frozen Apples

Caramel Apple Carrot Cake

Caramel apple carrot cake is a carrot cake that has an apple filling folded into the carrot cake batter.

Apple filling is made by cooking together apples, brown sugar, butter, and dulce de leche until it’s bubbling and thickened.

Caramel apple carrot cake is iced with vanilla cream cheese frosting.

Apple Crumble Muffins

Apple crumble muffins are like eating an apple crumble, but in muffin form! (minus the vanilla ice cream!!)

Apple crumble muffins are made by using diced apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg to flavor the muffin batter.

The crumble portion of the apple muffins is made by mixed together pieces of butter, cinnamon, rolled oats, and brown sugar.

The crumble is sprinkled on the top of the muffin batter, and then baked in the oven.

The oats crisp up in the oven, making the muffins have a little crunchy texture when you bite into the muffins.

what to do with leftover frozen apples

Puff Pastry Apple Tart

Puff pastry apple tart is made by rolling out a sheet of puff pastry dough.

The dough is scored around the rectangle shape to make it have an edging around the dough.

This creates the sides of the tart that keep the apples in place as it cooks.

Egg is brushed onto the tart to have a barrier in between the apple mixture and the pastry. The edges of the tart will have a sheen to them when brushed with egg, making it have a professional look to it.

Sliced apples are mixed together with a combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and lemon juice.

The apples are arranged to lay on their side, giving the tart a uniform look to it.

The tart is baked in the oven and then it set to cool.

Once the tart has cooled, a vanilla frosting is drizzled over the tart prior to serving.

Apple Strudel

Apple strudel is made by combining sliced apples, lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and raisins into a sauce.

Roll out the puff pastry into a sheet. It should be about 1/3 cm in thickness. Place the dough on a cutting board.

Place the apple mixture down the middle of the puff pastry. Cut the edges of the dough into strips.

Arrange the strips to criss cross over one another. Seal the dough onto itself with a little bit of water.

Brush the apple strudel puff pastry with egg to give it a buttery look to it once it bakes.

Bake the puff pastry apple strudel and let it cool.

Once the apple strudel is cooled, you can add a drizzle of vanilla glaze if desired.

Cut the strudel in slices to serve.

Picnic Desserts that Don’t Need Refrigeration

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Enjoying a picnic on a hot summer day near the lake is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. You can pick sun friendly desserts so you don’t have to worry about brining an ice pack for your dessert.

You can serve many different picnic friendly desserts such as macarons, brownies, turnovers, donuts, loaves, tarts, cookies or Danishes.

Macarons

Macarons are chewy and melt in your mouth cookies. Macarons can be stored for 24 hours at room temperature.

Macaron cookies typically are filled with buttercream, jam, ganache, custard, or curd.

Macarons can be filled with fruit flavors, dessert flavors, tea and coffee flavors for a lovely afternoon picnic.

picnic dessert ideas

Donuts

Donuts are airy and have a delicate, texture that crumbles apart when you bite into them.

Donuts are a easy dessert you can bring to your afternoon picnic, without having to worry about them melting in the sun.

picnic desserts that don't need refrigeration

Vanilla Danishes

Vanilla Danishes have a buttery puff pastry dough, with a creamy vanilla bean custard in the center.

Vanilla Danishes can be kept at room temperature for several hours.

They’re a specialty dessert that you can bring to your next picnic for a lovely vanilla flavored dessert.

dessert picnic ideas danish

Brownies

Brownies are full of chocolate, and chewy goodness.

You can cut brownies into squares so they are individually portioned for your picnic.

Brownies are always kept at room temperature, and only need to be placed in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Vanilla bean sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth. Sugar cookies are a favorite dessert for many, and can be easily placed on a plate for serving at a picnic.

You can also ice the sugar cookies with some vanilla bean buttercream for an added sweetened flavor for the sugar cookies.

Picnic Desserts that Don't Need Refrigeration sugar cookies

Tarts

You can serve mini tarts, or tartlets for your picnic so that they are bite sized, or small enough to be eaten in a couple of bites.

Tarts have a buttery crust that melt in your mouth, and are filled with lemon cream, chocolate ganache, pumpkin, and more for a sweet dessert for your picnic.

Picnic Desserts that Don't Need Refrigeration tarts

Loaves

You can make a full sized loaf, and cut them into smaller pieces so people at your picnic can take a small pieces of loaf as a dessert.

You can cut them so they can fit into a cupcake liner, or arrange them lying spaced out.

desserts that travel well in heat loaves

Scones

Scones are a flakey and buttery dessert with a sweet glaze on top of them.

Scones are a type of bread dessert that isn’t too sweet. Typically scones have a thin glaze on top to add a small amount of sweetness to them.

desserts that travel well in heat scones

Biscotti

Biscotti is a dry, crunchy, and hard cookie that is usually flavored with almonds.

If you’re having tea with your picnic, biscotti is the perfect dessert to dip into your tea and enjoy!

desserts that travel well in heat biscotti

Shortbread

Shortbread is a buttery cookie that melts in your mouth. You can flavor shortbread with a variety of spices and herbs, or glaze the shortbread with a flavored icing.

easy picnic desserts for a crowd

Tuile Cookies

Tuile cookies are crunchy cookies you can shape into cones, logs, or simply flat.

You can dip cookies in chocolate, or leave them as a crispy, crunchy cookie to enjoy.

Picnic Desserts that Don't Need Refrigeration

Apple turnovers

Apple turnovers are a buttery pastry oozing with a brown sugar and cinnamon sauce.

You can top the apple turnovers with a vanilla glaze right before you’re ready to serve them at your picnic.

Picnic Desserts that Don't Need Refrigeration apple turnovers

Rose Marshmallows

Rose marshmallows are floral flavored gooey dessert marshmallows.

Marshmallows are a light dessert that you can bring to a picnic, and you won’t have to worry about them melting in the sun.

Ice Cream Dome Cake

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Ice cream dome cakes are made using silicone molds to create a perfect sphere dome shape.

An ice cream dome cake is made using 2 different ice creams that are layered on top of one another in the silicone mold.

how to make an ice cream dome cake

The center filling is placed in the middle of the silicone mold.

The center filling is typically a sweet filling such as jam, ganache, chocolate sauce, caramel, fruit or sauce.

If you’re using chocolate ganache as your filling, make sure it’s chilled and ready to use to fill your silicone molds.

You’ll need a half sphere silicone mold to make an ice cream dome cake.

It’s best to use silicone molds that are about 3″ in diameter to make individual dome cakes for your guests.

half sphere silicone mold ice cream dessert recipe

You’ll need to freeze the silicone mold in between ice cream layers so that it hardens, and doesn’t melt too much to have the layers mix with one another.

Give yourself a couple of hours to make your ice cream dome cake dessert, and then it should be frozen overnight to serve the following day.

Be sure to make your ice cream dome cake recipe at least a day in advance to have the ice cream freeze well before serving.

How to make an ice cream dome cake

  • small half sphere silicone molds
  • 2 types of ice cream that go well together
  • Center filling – jam, chocolate ganache, fruit sauce, caramel sauce
  • 1-3 toppings for the ice cream (cookie crumble, caramel sauce, cocoa powder, sprinkles, fruit sauce, finely chopped fruit – kiwi, strawberries)

First you’ll want to pick your ice cream flavors that will go well together. Then pick your center filling that will go well with your ice cream flavors.

You’re ready to start making your dome recipe with your outer ice cream layer.

Your outer layer will be the one that will have your toppings on it.

Place your ice cream in the silicone mold.

Use a metal spoon to press the ice cream around so that all of the sides are covered in ice cream. Try to make it a 1/2 cm in thickness.

Place each silicone mold in the freezer in an airtight container as you complete them. They will start to melt very quickly and it will be messy.

Freeze for 30 min – 1 hour. Then you’re ready for your next layer.

ice cream dome cake using silicone mold

Select your inner layer of ice cream.

Use a fresh metal spoon to put the ice cream in the molds.

Press the ice cream into the first layer so it’s completely covered. The thickness isn’t as important for this one, just make sure you leave a bit of space for the center flavor.

Freeze for 30 min – 1 hour. Now you’re ready for your final layer. Use a melon baller or a fresh spoon to scoop your center filling (ganache, jam, fruit, etc.).

Press your final layer into your silicone mold. It doesn’t have to be flat by any means, just make sure it’s filled and pressed into your second layer.

Freeze your silicone mold dessert overnight.

ice cream dome cake how to make

When you’re ready to serve your ice cream, first remove the silicone mold from your ice cream.

How to Remove Ice Cream from a Silicone Mold

Use your fingers on either side of the silicone mold to peel the outer silicone mold off of the ice cream, with your thumb on the top of the mold pushing the ice cream out.

Try to take them out and place them directly onto your serving plate.

Once you have all of your desserts on their serving plates, you can sprinkle your toppings onto the ice cream dome cake.

Ice Cream Dome Cake

Use 1-2 toppings for your layered ice cream dessert.

You can use sprinkles, caramel sauce, fruit sauce, or chocolate sauce to drizzle overtop of your beautiful ice cream dome cake.

how to make an ice cream dome cake

10 Cold Vegetable Sandwich Ideas

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Cold vegetable sandwiches can be enjoyed on a hot summer day, or as tea sandwiches.

Cold vegetable sandwiches can be prepared on sourdough, ciabatta, focaccia, French bread, croissants, pumpernickel, multigrain, whole wheat, rye, or white bread.

Cold Vegetable Sandwich Ideas

Havarti and Cucumber

Havarti and cucumber sandwiches can be made with mayo, Dijon mustard, honey mustard or Italian dressing.

Havarti is a creamy and slightly soft cheese which pairs well on a veggie sandwich with cucumber and tomatoes.

Havarti and cucumber sandwiches can be served on multigrain, white, or whole wheat bread.

  • cucumber
  • tomato
  • spinach
  • red onions
  • green pepper
  • Havarti

Pesto Mozzarella

Pesto mozzarella sandwiches are caprese sandwiches with a few added veggies.

You can use fresh mozzarella for this creamy sandwich, and fresh pesto spread on each side of bread to make this delicious sandwich.

Arugula is added to pesto mozzarella sandwiches for an earthy toned sandwich.

Pesto mozzarella sandwiches are best served on focaccia bread.

  • zucchini slices
  • red pepper
  • red onions
  • tomatoes
  • mozzarella
  • arugula
  • pesto 
pesto mozzarella cold vegetable sandwich ideas

Apple and Brie

Apple and brie sandwiches are a rich and creamy cold sandwich with a hint of sweet fig jam and a little garlic finish to it.

Basil leaves and spinach add a bit of greenery and earthy flavors to the creamy brie sandwich.

Apple and brie sandwiches are best served on ciabatta bread.

  • brie
  • apple slices
  • fig jam
  • spinach
  • basil leaves
  • garlic mayo

Avocado and Cucumber

Avocado sandwiches can be served with garlic mayo, hummus, or balsamic as the sauce for your cold vegetable sandwich.

You can add a few greens such as red leaf lettuce or sprouts to your avocado sandwich.

  • garlic mayo or hummus
  • lettuce
  • sprouts
  • feta
  • cilantro
  • balsamic reduction
cucumber Cold Vegetable Sandwich

Jalapeno Havarti and Sundried Tomato

Jalapeno Havarti cheese sandwiches are spicy sandwiches made with chipotle mayo to give it a bit of a kick.

You can even add a few slices of pickled jalapenos in your sandwich if desired.

Jalapeno Havarti and sundried tomato sandwiches are best served on sourdough bread.

  • jalapeno Havarti
  • sundried tomatoes (julienned)
  • dill pickles (sliced thin)
  • sprouts
  • avocado slices
  • red onions
  • garlic mayo or chipotle mayo

Chickpea and Artichoke

Chickpea and artichoke sandwiches have a bit of citrus and earthy tones.

Mashed chickpeas are mixed together with red pepper, red onions, cucumber, parsley, fresh lemon juice and olive oil.

Spread chickpea mixture over one slice of bread, and top with spinach and basil leaves. Place the other piece of bread on top and enjoy.

Chickpea and artichoke sandwiches are best prepared on French bread.

  • mashed chickpeas
  • sliced artichoke hearts
  • red pepper
  • cucumber
  • red onions
  • parsley
  • spinach
  • lemon juice
  • olive oil
  • basil leaves

Mediterranean

Mediterranean sandwiches are filled with savory tzatziki sauce and feta cheese.

Mediterranean sandwiches are filled with juicy tomato and cucumber.

Feta and tzatziki sandwiches are best prepared on focaccia bread.

  • feta
  • tomato
  • lettuce
  • cucumber slices
  • red onions
  • tzatziki sauce
feta cold vegetable sandwich

Cheddar and Tomato

Cheddar and tomato sandwiches are creamy, sharp and tangy.

Cream cheese is spread on one side of bread, and then layers of vegetables are piled on top.

Sharp cheddar cheese is added on top of the vegetables along with a few sprouts to make this cheddar vegetable sandwich.

Cheddar tomato sandwiches are best prepared on multigrain or rye bread.

  • cream cheese
  • tomato slices
  • cucumber slices
  • red onions
  • sprouts
  • avocado slices
  • lettuce
  • cheddar cheese
Cold Vegetable Sandwich recipes

Hummus and Avocado

Hummus and avocado sandwiches are best made with garlic hummus.

Garlic is an invigorating flavor that ties the veggie sandwich together.

Hummus and avocado sandwiches are made with sprouts, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onions.

Another option is to add garlic mayo on one side of the sandwich if desired.

Hummus sandwiches are best prepared on sourdough or multigrain bread.

  • hummus
  • avocado slices
  • sprouts
  • lettuce
  • tomato slices
  • cucumber slices
  • red onions
hummus Cold Vegetable Sandwich Ideas

Swiss and Pickles

Swiss and pickle sandwiches are creamy and tart sandwiches with a hint dill flavor.

Swiss and pickle sandwiches are made with garlic mayo and whole grain mustard spread on each side of bread.

Swiss and pickle sandwiches are best served on pumpernickel bread.

  • Swiss cheese
  • pickle slices
  • lettuce
  • red onions
  • garlic mayo
  • whole grain mustard

7 Crunchy Cake Base Ideas

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If you’re a looking for a crunchy cake base for your next baking adventure, you’ll want to pick a cake crust that is either baked first before adding any toppings onto it, or one that has a crunchy layer inside of it.

Cake crusts that are crunchy have either nuts, cookies, or feuilletine mixed into them.

Chocolate Feuilletine

Chocolate feuilletine cake base is a crunchy chocolate cake base you can use with in desserts like intricate entremet cakes.

Chocolate feuilletine is made by first making crispy feuilletine using a dough similar to crepe batter.

As soon as the feuilletine is cooled, it can be broken up into pieces.

crunchy cake base ingredients

To make the chocolate crunchy cake base, combine hazelnut crumbs, feuilletine pieces, and melted dark and milk chocolate in a bowl and mix together until it’s combined.

Pour the cake layer into a springform pan, or a pan with raised edges, and let it sit in the fridge or freezer to fully set the cake crust.

Chocolate Feuilletine crunchy Cake Base

Oreo Cookie Crust

Oreo cookie crust is a sweet, crunchy, cookie crust for a cake crust.

Oreo cookie crust is made by crushing Oreo’s into small pieces using a rolling pin, or blending them in a food processor.

The small bits of Oreo’s are mixed together with melted butter to create the cookie crust.

The cookie crust is pressed into a springform pan, and then you can refrigerate the cake crust, or bake it in the oven to let it set.

Oreo cookie crunchy cake base

Vanilla Wafer Crust

Vanilla wafer crust has a crunchy, vanilla flavoring cake base.

Vanilla wafers can be blended in a food processor until they are quite fine, and then combine with melted butter to create a vanilla cake base.

Press the crust into the bottom of a springform pan, or cake pan.

Vanilla wafer cake base is baked in the oven to let it set.

vanilla wafer crunchy Cake Base

Praline Feuillentine Cake Base

Praline feuilletine is a crunchy cake base used in fancy bakery cakes.

Feuilletines are crispy wafers that give the cake base it’s crunchy texture.

Feuilletines are made by mixing together equal parts egg whites, flour, icing sugar, and butter and baking it in the oven until it’s golden brown.

The feuilletine is then broken up into small pieces that will be mixed into the cake base.

Praline paste is made by creating a caramel sauce, and then adding in roasted hazelnuts at the end of the caramel making process.

The caramel and hazelnuts are blended together until it creates a paste. The praline flavor gives the cake base a nutty and caramel flavor.

To make praline cake crust, mix together melted milk chocolate, praline paste, and feuilletine pieces.

Pour praline feuilletine into your cake base and let it set in the freezer for a couple of hours prior to using.

Praline Feuillentine crunchy Cake Base

Chocolate Base

Chocolate cake base is a chocolatey, crunchy cookie base for a cake crust.

Chocolate cake base is made by crushing chocolate wafer cookies, and mixing them together with melted butter.

The chocolate cake crust is pressed into a springform pan, and then it’s baked in the oven to set the crust.

chocolate wafer crunchy cake base

Walnut Crust

Walnut crust is a sweet and crunchy cookie base for a cake.

Walnuts are blended in a food processor until they are fine like a powder.

Shortbread cookies are crushed with a rolling pin, and then they are combined with the walnuts, sugar, and melted butter.

Walnut cake crust is pressed into the springform pan, and it’s ready to use.

You don’t need to bake or chill the crust.

Graham Cracker Crust

Graham cracker crust is a buttery, cookie flavored cake base.

Graham cracker crumbs are mixed together with sugar and melted butter to create the crunchy cake crust.

The graham cracker mixture is pressed into the springform pan or cake pan, and then it’s baked in the oven to set the crust.

graham cracker crunchy cake base

Mother’s Day Macarons

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Mother’s day is a time to celebrate with family and appreciate everything mom’s do.

You can make macarons to honor your mom for everything she’s done for you with a few extra decorations and piping techniques.

Mother's Day Macarons

Painting Designs

Designs

You can create your own theme to your mother’s day macarons depending on what your mom loves!

For my mum she likes gardening and playing golf, therefore I painted a putting green and a few flowers that she grows in her garden.

golf mother's day macarons

Words

You can paint words onto your mother’s day macarons:

  • mom
  • mum
  • thank you
  • happy mother’s day
  • mother’s day
  • thank you mom

Paint

You can paint on macarons to create designs and words by using either powdered food coloring or gel food coloring with a couple of drops of almond extract.

You don’t want to use too much almond extract. If you pour too much, the color will be more like watercolor paint.

If you just use a little almond extract, the color will be strong and easily painted on the macaron. The color will not run.

You can use pink or red food coloring and make hearts onto your macarons as a symbol to recognize the love you have for your mom.

decorating ideas for mother's day macarons

Paint Brushes

You’ll need to use a food safe paint brush to make your painted decorations on macarons.

Flowers

Round Flower Petals

  1. Dip a flat paint brush into food coloring.
  2. Touch the flat brush to the macaron.
  3. Push the brush in an upwards and to the right slightly, then bring it back down to the original starting point.
  4. Repeat to make 5-6 flower petals.
  5. Make dots in the center of the flower using a black edible marker.
Mother's Day Macaron decorating ideas

Tulip

  1. Dip a flat paint brush into food coloring.
  2. Touch the flat brush to the macaron.
  3. Push the brush in an upwards and to the right slightly, then bring it back down.
  4. Put the brush in the original position, and then push the brush downwards and to the right. Bring the brush back up and line it up with the first brush strokes to create a tulip shape.
mother's day macarons flowers

Leaves and Vines

To make leaves or vines on macarons, use a long fine tipped paint brush. This will let you create fine leaf shapes, or narrow vines underneath flowers painted on macarons.

Draw

Edible markers can be used to draw words, or make small details onto macarons like in the center of a flower.

You can get many different colors in edible markers to use to create beautiful decorations onto macarons.

Icing

To decorate mother’s day macarons, you can make royal icing for some fine detail work.

Royal icing will dry hard, and you can use piping tips to create small lines on your mother’s day macarons.

Royal icing can be hard to work with. If your icing is too runny, add a little bit more icing sugar to stiffen it up. Then you can write words with it, or make wavy lines for a beautiful look to your mother’s day macarons.

Mother's Day heart Macarons

Caramel or Chocolate Drizzle

Caramel and chocolate can be drizzled on top of your mother’s day macarons, and you can even add a few sprinkles or nuts on top.

To add caramel or chocolate drizzle, place your macarons on a large plate.

Put caramel or melted chocolate into a piping bag, fitted with #2 piping tip.

The flow will come fast, you won’t even need to squish the bag for the flow to come out.

Make one line on 1 half of the macaron. Continue making 2 more lines that criss-cross a little to have an elastic band look to it.

You can add nuts or sprinkles to the drizzle to add a pop of color.

mother's day macarons with caramel and sprinkles

Piping Shapes

Macaron batter can be piped into a heart shape for your mother’s day macarons.

You can use a template to create heart macarons, or you can just free hand them.

Heart macarons can be colored pink, or you can have them as plain white batter as well.

If you’re wanting to color your macaron batter, use a little bit of pink gel food coloring to color your heart macarons.

Fill your piping bag with your macaron batter fitted with a 1/2” tip.

Begin by piping one of the round tops of the heart, drag the tip downwards in a diagonal. Continue piping upwards to end at the other round top of the heart.

Take a toothpick and gently guide the point of the bottom of the heart downwards to create a sharp point of your macarons.

Let them dry for 30 minutes, and then bake in the oven for the same time your recipe says.

Mother’s day heart macarons should be 1.5″-2″ once you’ve piped them.

mother's day heart macarons

5 Fish and Chip Sauce Ideas

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Fish and chips are a favorite dish you can enjoy on a hot summer day at the beach.

Fish and chips are piping hot with a crispy battered outer layer, and soft inside.

You can dip your fish and chips into savory sauces like tartar sauce, HP sauce, curry sauce, malt vinegar, or ketchup.

fish and chip sauce ideas

Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is one of the most popular dipping sauces for fish and chips. Tartar sauce is a tangy, creamy sauce for dipping fish and chips into.

Tartar sauce has a subtle flavor of dill and lemon.

Tartar sauce is made by mixing together mayo, diced pickles, dill weed, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.

Malt Vinegar

Malt vinegar is a dark colored vinegar made from malting barely.

Malt vinegar is an acidic sauce for fish and chips that cuts the grease, and adds a sweeter, toasted almond flavor to fish and chips.

It’s similar to adding squeezed lemon over fish and chips, but it’s not as harsh of a flavor.

Curry Sauce

Curry sauce is a thick, sweet, creamy sauce for fish and chips.

Curry sauce is made by sautéing chopped onions in a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Minced ginger and garlic are added to the pan to infuse their flavors into the onions.

Curry powder, ground coriander, and flour are added to the frying pan to add some spice, and thicken the curry sauce.

Ketchup and chicken stock are added to the frying pan, and simmered until the curry sauce comes together.

Curry sauce is served on the side of fish and chips for dipping, along with malt vinegar and a wedge of lemon.

fish and chip sauce curry sauce

HP Sauce

HP sauce is a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce for fish and chips.

HP sauce is a tomato based sauce with a hint of molasses, and fruit juices and spices.

HP sauce is a thick, tangy sauce with notes of caramel.

Ketchup

Ketchup is a sweetened tomato sauce you can use for dipping fish and chips into.

Ketchup has a slightly acidic flavor from having cider vinegar added to it.

Ketchup also has several tablespoons of brown sugar in it to balance out the acidity of tomatoes, therefore it has a slightly sweetened finish to it.

fish and chips sauce ketchup

Seafood Dinner Party Menu Ideas

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When preparing to make a seafood dinner party, you’ll want to figure out exactly what you want on the menu.

You can prepare a variety of seafoods for your dinner party including crab cakes, prawns, calamari, lobster, oysters, octopus and more.

You can make seafood appetizers ahead of time for your guests while they’re waiting for the main course.

seafood dinner party menu ideas

Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are easy to make right at home, even though they’re a bit delicate when frying them up.

Crab cakes are made by combining lumps of crab with mayo, herbs, and bread crumbs, and then forming it into a patty shape.

Crab cakes are fried to get a crispy outer layer on them on each side, and then they are serve warm with a creamy, savory dipping sauce.

Crab cakes go well with lemon basil aioli, tartar sauce or remoulade.

crab cake Seafood Dinner Party menu

Prawns

Prawns can be prepared for a seafood dinner party by making tempura, serving them as a prawn cocktail, or frying them.

If you’re frying prawns, you can serve them with garlic butter, or shrimp cocktail sauce for a bit of bite.

Prawns should be served with a lemon wedge for a little fresh lemon juice squeezed onto them right before serving. You can garnish with a bit of parsley as well if desired.

prawns seafood buffet menu

Calamari

Deep fried calamari is a favorite for many! Calamari has a crispy outside, with warm squid on the inside.

You can serve calamari with a ton of different dipping sauces like tzatziki, or lemon garlic aioli, and a lemon wedge to squeeze a little lemon juice over calamari before enjoying.

calamari seafood Dinner Party

Crab Legs

Crab legs are a specialty you can serve at your seafood dinner party.

Crab legs are heated, and then served melted butter for dipping crab into.

You can have the butter continue to be melted by using a butter warmer.

crab legs Seafood Dinner Party

Lobster

Lobster tails are cut, and butterflied to expose the meat inside of their hard shell.

Lobsters can be boiled, or simply baked in the oven.

You can prepare savory stuffed lobster tails that your guests will love by combining crab, bread crumbs, herbs, lemon juice, onions, and then stuffing it inside the lobster tail, and baking it in the oven.

lobster seafood dinner party menu ideas

Salmon

Salmon is a mild fish you can serve with savory sauces like white wine, or simply squeeze some lemon on top.

white wine sauce salmon Seafood Dinner Party

You can serve salmon over rice or garlic mashed potatoes for your seafood dinner as an accompaniment.

Seafood Dinner Party salmon

Oysters

Oysters can be grilled, fried, roasted, or broiled in the oven for a specialty addition to your seafood dinner menu.

You can entice your guests by making garlic oysters, herb and butter oysters, or three cheese oysters for your dinner party.

Octopus

Octopus can be grilled or simmered on the stovetop, and then served with lemon herb olive oil, or romesco sauce.

Octopus has a mild flavor to it, therefore it’s best if you serve it with an accompanying dipping sauce.

octopus seafood dinner menu ideas

Mussels

Mussels needs to be cleaned and debearded before cooking. Mussels have a tender and chewy texture to them.

You can prepare mussels for you guests by cooking mussels with white wine and garlic cream sauce, lemon garlic butter sauce, or tomato sauce.

mussels seafood dinner menu

Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon can be served as an appetizer for your dinner party guests.

You can serve smoked salmon pieces with capers, chopped red onions, dill weed, cream cheese, and crackers as an appetizer, or as party of your seafood dinner party selection.

smoked salmon seafood dinner party

Crab Puff Pastry Bites

Crab puff pastry bites are filled with vegetables and lumps of crab for this seafood mini puff pastry appetizer.

Chopped onions and red pepper are cooked in a bit of olive oil and minced garlic in a frying pan on medium heat.

Vegetables are removed from the heat source, and mixed together with cream cheese, mayo, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and lumps of crab meat to make the base of the appetizer filling.

Chives, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice are added to the cream cheese filling.

Puff pastry squares are placed inside a muffin tin (2″ square) to make a well for holding the cream cheese filling.

Crab cream cheese filling is spooned onto the puff pastry squares and baked in the oven until the pastry turns golden brown.

6 Dipping Sauce Ideas for Crab Cakes

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Warm crispy crab cakes are best served with a creamy dipping sauce on the side.

Crab cakes are usually served with a garlic or lemon dipping sauce since these flavors go well with seafood.

You can serve crab cakes with remoulade, tartar sauce, spicy mayo, lemon basil aioli and more!

dipping sauce ideas for crab cakes

Remoulade

Remoulade sauce is one of the most popular dipping sauces for crab cakes. It’s a creamy, Cajun flavored dipping sauce.

Remoulade sauce is made by combining mayo, mustard, sweet paprika, Cajun seasoning, horseradish, dill pickle juice, hot sauce, and minced garlic together.

Remoulade sauce needs a few hours to chill and let the spices infuse into the mayo before using it as a dipping sauce with crab cakes.

remoulade dipping sauce for crab cakes

Lemon Basil Aioli

Lemon basil aioli is a creamy sauce with hint of basil and citrus flavors.

Lemon basil aioli is made by blending together mayo, fresh basil leaves, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice.

Basil adds a peppery flavoring to the aioli, giving it a bit of spicy finish when paired with crab cakes.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

Roasted red pepper aioli is a creamy dipping sauce for crab cakes with a hint of spice, citrus and garlic.

Roasted red pepper aioli is made by combining roasted peppers, paprika, mayo, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic in a food processor and blending together until smooth.

Lemon Garlic Aioli

Lemon garlic aioli is a creamy, citrusy lemon dipping sauce for crab cakes with a hint of garlic.

Lemon garlic aioli is made by mixing together fresh minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mayo.

You can use a little leftover lemon to squeeze the juice onto your crab cakes right before serving.

lemon garlic aioli dipping sauce for crab cakes

Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is a tangy, creamy sauce for crab cakes with a hint of lemon.

Tartar sauce is made by mixing together mayo, diced pickles, dill weed, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.

tartar sauce for crab cakes

Spicy Mayo

Spicy mayo is a sriracha infused mayo dipping sauce for crab cakes.

Spicy mayo adds a bit of a bite to a crab cake appetizer.

The crispiness of the crab cakes, combined with the creamy spicy mayo, makes for a delicious savory dipping sauce for crab cakes.

5 Dipping Sauce Ideas for Octopus

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Octopus is a delicacy that you can serve with a variety of nutty, or oil based dipping sauces.

You can serve octopus with a classic lemon herb olive oil, or romesco sauce.

Octopus goes well with spicy Korean sauce, or a simple sesame oil based sauce.

olive oil dipping sauce for octopus

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is a roasted red pepper sauce for dipping octopus into.

You can use already roasted red peppers to make romesco sauce.

Romesco sauce is made by adding the following to food processor and blending together to make a thick, nutty sauce for dipping octopus into:

  • roasted red peppers
  • fire roasted tomatoes
  • toasted and blanched almonds and hazelnuts
  • olive oil
  • parsley
  • smoked paprika
  • red pepper flakes
  • minced garlic
  • fresh lemon juice
  • red wine vinegar
Romesco Sauce for dipping octopus into

Lemon Herb Olive Oil

Lemon herb olive oil is a citrusy, herb flavored olive oil for a dipping sauce for octopus.

Extra virgin olive oil is mixed together with fresh lemon juice, oregano, fresh parsley leaves, and minced garlic.

When you’re ready to serve your octopus, spoon lemon herb olive oil all over octopus, and then your guests can dip the octopus into the leftover sauce on the plate.

Serve with a side of lemon wedge.

lemon herb olive oil dipping sauce for octopus

Sweet Lime and Cashew

Sweet lime and cashew dipping sauce is a sweet, citrusy, and spicy dipping sauce for octopus.

Sugar is mixed with some water in a saucepan over low-medium heat until it begins to bubble.

Sugar syrup is simmered and then set to cool.

After the syrup has cooled, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, chopped cucumber, chopped cashews, fresh coriander leaves, and diced chili are added into the saucepan and mixed together.

Sesame Sauce

Sesame dipping sauce is a nutty, oil based dipping sauce for octopus.

Sesame dipping sauce is made by mixing together sesame oil, sesame seeds, and bit of salt.

sesame sauce for dipping octopus

Chogochujang (Sweet and Spicy Korean Dipping Sauce)

Chogochujan dipping sauce is a sweet and spicy sauce for dipping octopus into.

Chogochujan is made by mixing together Korean chili paste (Gochujang), vinegar, raw sugar, honey, minced garlic, and a few sesame seeds.