Prep Time: 30 min.

If you need a cute appetizer or snack idea for Valentine’s Day, then you must try these Cheddar Bear Crostini. Perfect for a lunchbox, for Valentine’s parties or a romantic dinner. You can leave the crostini plain like I have done (since the baguette is crisp and buttery), or top the slices with cranberry jam, garlic cream cheese, pesto, sundried tomato or olive tapenade - whatever your heart desires.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Slice the baguette.

2. Heat a pan on medium-high.

3. Add three tablespoons of butter to the pan.

4. Place the baguette slices in the hot pan and brown on both sides until golden. It will take about two minutes per side (you can add extra butter when it is time to flip the crostini).

5. Shape the bear’s body with the medium round cookie cutter using cheddar slices.

6. Make the cheddar face with the small round cutter and the mouth with the mini-shaped cutter.

7. For the ears, use the petal-shaped cutter.

8. Shape the cheddar hands and feet with the metal straw (you can remove them from the straw using a skewer).

9. Arrange the elements for the bear on top of the crostini.

10. Top with the sesame seed eyes and nose.

11. Cut the oblong grapes at a slant and halve each half symmetrically.

12. Match the opposite halves to make two hearts and place one on each bear.

13. Serve.

Notes

I’ve listed a few cookie cutters to shape the different parts of the bear, but you can also use various-sized glasses, icing tips, straws, etc.

I've linked the round cutters (which are part of a set) in my Shop.