Ingredients:

  • 1 slender French Baguette (approx. 250g), sliced into 24 rounds
  • 60ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt
  • 225g full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 30g crème fraîche or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
  • 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 225g premium cold-smoked salmon, torn into ribbons
  • 2 tbsp non-pareil capers, drained and dried
  • 0.5 red onion, sliced into paper-thin half-moons
  • Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange baguette slices on a large baking sheet.
  2. Whisk olive oil and garlic powder together. Brush both sides of each baguette slice generously with the oil mixture and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until edges are golden and the center is crisp. Remove from oven and let cool completely to ensure a moisture-proof base.
  4. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the softened cream cheese and crème fraîche until light and billowy (about 2 minutes). Fold in the minced dill, lemon zest, and black pepper.
  5. Allow the smoked salmon to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to temper the fats for better texture.
  6. To assemble, spread a dollop of the whipped cream cheese onto each cooled crostini. Top with a ribbon of smoked salmon, a few capers, a slice of red onion, and a sprig of fresh dill.