Halloween Recipes

Halloween Traditions

I have always loved Halloween and eagerly look forward to it each year. My children also love it, actually, I sometimes wonder if they prefer it to Christmas. They spend months trying to decide what outfits they'll wear, what games they'll play, and of course what treats we'll make for the party. Halloween has to be one of the best holidays from a child's perspective. They get to dress up and eat all the sweets they want. How much more fun could a holiday be? Well, it didn't start out that way. It all began centuries ago in Celtic Ireland... 

Where it all began

In the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31st. This was the Celtic New Year and was called Samhain (pronounced sow-en). The story goes that on this day, the spirits of anyone who had died that year would come back looking for living bodies to possess. Celts thought this was the only way to the afterlife. They also believed that all time and space was abruptly suspended on this day so spirits could mingle with the living. The living didn't want to be possessed, so at night on October 31st they put fires in their fireplaces, dressed up in freaky, scary costumes and made a big ruckus around the neighbourhood so they would either blend in with the spirits or possibly frighten the spirits away.

http://nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2018/10/halloween-cookies.html

http://nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2018/10/chocolate-mice.html

http://nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2018/10/barmbrack.html

http://nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-mummy-cookie-cake-pops.html



http://nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2013/10/sweet-spicy-hazelnuts.html

Halloween Party Food Ideas

If you are hosting a Halloween party this year here are a few easy recipe ideas to make your party extra special!

Chocolate Apples

Chocolate apples are a real Halloween favourite and they couldn't be easier to make. If you want to go basic just coat an apple with melted chocolate and dip in some sprinkles or you can roll in some chopped chocolate, crushed chocolate cookies or chopped nuts. If you are in search of something easy to make with the children, chocolate apples are a great choice. I find forks make the decorating and eating of the apples a lot easier than the traditional lollipop sticks. Pop the apples into the fridge the night before decorating them, as the cooled apples allow the chocolate to stick to it with more ease.

Ingredients
4 apples, rinsed and dried
4 forks
200g good quality milk chocolate
50g white chocolate
Toppings: sugar sprinkles

Method

1. Refrigerate the apples for several hours or overnight.
2. Dry any condensation from the apples with some kitchen paper. Insert a fork into each apple. Place some greaseproof paper on a baking tray.
3. In a heat-proof bowl over some simmering water melt the milk chocolate.
4. Let the chocolate cool slightly for 2 minutes. Dip each apple into the milk chocolate, covering each apple completely. Allow excess to drain. Place on the greaseproof paper and leave to set, which will only take a few minutes.
5. In a clean bowl, over some simmering water, melt the white chocolate.
6. Once the chocolate on the apples has set, drizzle over the white chocolate. Sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Place the apples back on the paper and leave in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.

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Witches’ Fingers

These ghoulish cookies would make an interesting centrepiece for any Halloween feast. The recipe is quite simply one for shortbread cookies, but by carefully moulding and decorating each one they can be made to resemble fingers.

Ingredients
100g icing sugar

200g butter, softened

300g plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

16 blanched almonds

Icing

250g icing sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tsp red food colouring

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas mark 5.
2. Using an electric mixer beat the icing sugar and butter until soft and well combined. This should take about 5 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla extract and with the mixer on a low speed gradually add the flour. Don’t overbeat and once combined bring the dough together into a ball, place it on a sheet of greaseproof paper, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes, to harden slightly.
4. Take from the fridge and with a tablespoon of the dough at each time, with your hands, roll into a shape of a finger. Squeeze the ‘finger’ to give the impression of a knuckle. Make indentations with a knife to represent knuckle ridges. Prepare two tins with a sheet of greaseproof paper on each. Careful transfer the raw cookies to the trays. Add a blanched almond to the tip of the finger to look like a fingernail. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, depending on their thickness.
5. While the cookies are cooking prepare the icing. In a medium sized bowl combine the icing sugar with the water and food colouring. Add a few more drops of water if required, or add some more icing sugar if the mixture appears too thin.
6. Take the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack. Immediately after taking them from the oven lift the almond, place a blob of the red icing and then firmly stick the almond back on the cookie. Dot about half a teaspoon of icing at the base of the cookie, as seen in the photo.
7. Allow to set before serving.

Link to the full recipe - nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-witches-fingers.html

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Mummy Cookie Cake Pops

These Mummy Cookie Cake Pops are so visually impressive that you’d be forgiven for thinking that they are simply for show and may not deliver on taste. I must tell you, however, that even the adults fight over these when I make them. Using just a few simple ingredients, there is little to do to create these wonderful treats. The method is straightforward, however, I must stress the importance of refrigerating the pops in between each step, to ensure they set properly. The white chocolate sets perfectly over the refrigerated pop, giving a satisfying crunch of thick chocolate when bit into, before being met by the soft truffle-like centre. They are deliciously irresistible to both children and adults alike.

Ingredients 

Makes 20 

300g Oreo biscuits

150g cream cheese

20 cake pop sticks or wooden sticks

Sprinkle of icing sugar

50g ready-to-roll icing

200g white chocolate

40 candy eyes

Method

1. Using a food processor, blitz the Oreos for a few minutes, until they resemble crumbs. Add the cream cheese and continue to blend for a minute or so. The Oreos and cream cheese will combine to look almost like a ball of dough.
2. Scoop out into a bowl, cover with cling film and pop into the fridge for an hour to stiffen up.
3. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Take the Oreo mixture from the fridge. Take a spoonful of the mix and quickly mould into a ball using your hands. Insert a stick into the top of the Oreo ball and place on the prepared tray. Place in the fridge for at least an hour to set.
4. Meanwhile, sprinkle a little icing sugar on a worktop and thinly roll out the piece of ready-to-roll icing. Cut into small thin strips, which will act as the mummy’s cloth wrapping. Place on a plate along with the candy eyes, ready for assembling the pops.
5. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of just boiled water. Take the pops from the fridge and dip each one into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Then immediately stick on the two eyes and add a few strips of icing. Place upright to set, possibly in a glass filled with sugar. They will set in a few minutes. Once the chocolate is hard, place the decorated pops back onto the greaseproof paper lined tray and refrigerate for a further few hours before serving.
6. These pops can then be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don’t leave these pops sitting out of the fridge for too long, as they may begin to melt a little.

Link to the full recipe - nessasfamilykitchen.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-mummy-cookie-cake-pops.html

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Bad apples

Using a small, sharp knife cut a small, round hole in one side of the top of an apple. Insert a gummy worm inside the hole. Create a display of “bad apples” in a wooden bucket.

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Halloween Honeycomb 

Ingredients

½ tsp sunflower oil

120g caster sugar

60g golden syrup

1 tsp bread soda, sieved

Method

1. Prepare a small baking tray by drizzling over the oil and using a pastry brush, evenly grease the tray. Put the sugar and golden syrup into a medium sized saucepan. Give it a stir to combine then place on the heat.
2. Heat gently, until the sugar has melted, gently moving the saucepan if one side is bubbling a little higher. Simmer for 2 minutes being careful that it doesn't burn. Once it darkens in colour, remove from the heat and whisk in the sieved bread soda, very quickly. The mixture will begin to foam.
3. Immediately turn the mixture into the prepared tin. Leave for an hour to set.
4. Remove from the tin and break into pieces by hand or bash a little with a rolling pin. It can then be used sprinkled over ice-cream or dipped in some chocolate it's perfect as a tasty treat. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

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Chocolate Covered Satsumas

Ingredients
250g (9oz) good quality milk Chocolate
50g white chocolate
4-6 satsumas

Method

1. Break the chocolate up into a heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir once or twice as the chocolate melts.
2. Cover a couple of baking trays with greaseproof paper. Carefully peel the satsumas. Get as much white pith off as you can, but try not to break the skin.
3. Dip each Satsuma into the chocolate. Turn to coat. Using a large spoon to help. Place each fruit on to the tray. 
4. Drizzle with some melted white chocolate. Leave somewhere cool to set.

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Cookie Monsters

If you are looking for a cookery based activity, for your Halloween party, creating these hungry cookie monsters will keep children very happy. You could make up a few that will give the children lots of ideas for creating their own little monsters. The cookies can be homemade but for less hassle, a few packets of your favourite chocolate chip cookie will do the trick.

Ingredients

16 chocolate chip cookies

Icing:

60g soft butter

40g cream cheese

200g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

food colouring - a colour of your choice

To Decorate

mini smarties

marshmallows

chocolate chips

liquorice laces

Method

1. Make the icing by combining the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Blend well, using a wooden spoon.
2. Slowly add the icing sugar and continue to blend. Add the vanilla extract, blend until pale and fluffy. Divide the icing between three bowls and add a tiny drop of different food colouring to each.
3. Sandwich together two cookies with a spoonful of icing. Do the same for the rest of the cookies and then decorate your monsters using chocolate chips for the teeth and stick marshmallows on the top, using a little icing as glue. 

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Monster Fingers

Ingredients
Good quality sausages
6-inch tortillas
Ketchup or mustard

Almonds
Toothpicks

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Cut a wedge into the end of each cocktail sausage to make a toenail.
2. Cut the tortillas into strips about 4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Discard the ends.
3. Soften the strips in the microwave between damp paper towels for 10 to 30 seconds.
4. Roll each sausage in a tortilla strip and secure with a toothpick.
5. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove them from the oven, then fill the toenail with ketchup or mustard. Add an almond for the nail. Remove the toothpicks before serving.

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Bloody Fingers

Ingredients
1 package sponge fingers
Strawberry jam
Icing sugar
Almond slices

Method

1. Place the fingers on a tray.
2. Spread with strawberry jam.
3. Place an almond slice at the "tip" of the finger. Add tiny pieces of the sponge finger to resemble knuckles.
4. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

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Melon Brain

Made from nothing more than a small, round seedless watermelon, this spooky cerebral creation is bound to turn heads.

Ingredients
1 small seedless watermelon

Method

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the entire green rind, exposing the inner white rind. 
2. Slice off the bottom of the melon to create a flat base that will keep it from rolling. With a toothpick, outline squiggly furrows that resemble the folded surface of a brain. 
3. Finally, carve narrow channels along with the tracings with a sharp paring knife (a parent's job) to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.

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Quick Ghost Cookies

Ingredients

200g white cooking chocolate, cut into chunks
1 packet chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Buttons

Method

1. In a bowl over simmering water, melt the cooking chocolate, stirring occasionally.
2. Dip cookies into the coating, covering completely. Set on waxed paper to cool. Brush ends with a pastry brush dipped in coating where fingers touched cookies. 
3. While the coating is still warm place two mini chips on each cookie for eyes and a chocolate button for the mouth.

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Bulging Eyeball Buns

Ingredients

12 buns
150g icing sugar
2 tbsp water
Red food colouring
6 cherries
12 chocolate chips/raisins
Cocktail stick

Method

1. Add water to sieved icing sugar and mix to a soft consistency but keeping it fairly thick, to stop the food colouring from running.
2. Cover each bun with a spoonful of icing
3. Cut the cherries in half. Put a chocolate chip/ raisin in each half. Place in the middle of each bun.
4. Dip the cocktail stick into the food colouring and draw on little veins from the cherry to the edge of the bun.

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Witches' Brew

Eye of newt, blood of bat, frogs tongue and a squeeze of lemon; a brew with a few surprises!

Mixing the magic:
Half glass of cranberry juice
Half glass of 7Up Free
Ice cubes
Jelly snakes

Method

1. Mix the cranberry juice and 7Up together.
2. Add the ice cubes and let a slithery jelly snake slip over the side of the glass.

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Buggy Ice Cubes

Insert gummy worms or raisins (for bugs) in ice trays with water and freeze. Insert frozen buggy ice cubes in your bowl of party punch.

I found this frozen hand idea a few years back and each year we make one for our Halloween punch! I rarely use food colourings but a little drop of red works well with this idea.

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Frozen Hand

Don't use regular ice cubes to keep the Halloween punch chilled, creep-out your guests with a frozen hand in the punch. 

1 rubber glove with no lining                                                
250ml water
Food colouring - This can match the colour of your punch, or stick out like a sore thumb (Pun intended)
1 rubber band

Method

1. Add the food colouring to the water, mix, and pour into the glove. 
2. Tie it off tightly with the twisty or rubber band. 
3. Place on a flat surface (that will catch any drainage) and freeze the glove until it's solid. 
4. Remove the glove and place in the punch before serving.

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