Pecan Caramel Apple

Here's an easy-to-prepare dessert when you're in the mood for something sweet and tasty.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

apples

chopped pecans

Procedure:

1  In a saucepan, combine water and brown sugar.

2  Stir gently over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture appears smooth. Gently bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the mixture turns into a thick syrup. Remove from heat.(For a step-by-step guide, click to see How to Make Caramel here)

3  Carefully stir in cream. Pierce the center of each apple with a popsicle stick or dowel. Swirl apple in the caramel syrup until coated and roll in pecans. Refrigerate at least 1 hour pre-serving.

Frozen Banana Boos

These easy frozen banana ghosts make for a frightfully fun Halloween.

Ingredients:

bananas

white chocolate

milk chocolate or candy covered chocolate

Procedure:

1  Peel some bananas and stick them in the freezer.

2  Melt the white chocolate and dip the frozen bananas to fully coat them. Insert a barbecue stick or popsicle stick before putting them back in the freezer to set.

3  Before serving, draw eyes and an open mouth with the chocolate. Stick on styrofoam to serve these ghouls.

Make ahead tip: You can freeze your bananas days in advance. Simply cut one end of the banana and skewer one end with a popsicle stick without removing the peel to prevent it from darkening. Coat with chocolate on Halloween day itself.

Witch's Brooms

Halloween's here! Put on your hat, practice your spells, and get ready to mix this bewitching treat.

Makes 12 to 16 pieces

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cake flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

12 to 16 pretzel sticks for decorating

For the buttercream icing

3/4 cup shortening or butter

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

orange food coloring

green food coloring

Procedure:

1  In a bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.

2  In another bowl, combine vegetable oil, milk, vanilla, and egg. 3 Mix dry and wet mixtures together just until combined. Pour into your desired mold for the broom head (see tip below) and bake at 350ºF or until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

4  Make the butter cream icing: Beat all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Divide icing. Color three-fourths of the icing with orange food coloring, and one-fourth with green food coloring.

5  To decorate: Insert a pretzel stick into each cake. Using a small star tip, pipe orange-colored icing on the cake. Use a plain tip to pipe a ribbon on the “bristles” using green icing.

Baking tip: We used a Wilton Silicone Brownie Pop Mold for this recipe. Mini muffin or cupcake molds are good alternatives too.

Spooky Cookie Sandwich

Need ideas on what to give the kids for trick or treat? Why don't you prepare something special and serve them these delicious Spooky Cookie Sandwich, especially made for Halloween!

Makes 12 to 18 cookies  

Prep Time 20 minutes 

Baking Time 10 to 12 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

extra cocoa powder for dusting

For the orange buttercream filling

1/2 cup butter, cubed, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable shortening 

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 drops orange food coloring

      (adjust until you reach desired shade)

Procedure:

1  Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2  Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. 

3  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until well combined.

4  Scoop the cookie dough using a small ice cream scoop and roll the dough in cocoa powder. Place in baking trays spaced 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

5  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes rotating halfway through.

6  Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before assembling into sandwiches.

7  Make the filling: Place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed until well combined.

8  Bring mixer to low speed and gradually add confectioners’ sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and orange food coloring. 

Dough tip:  If the dough is too soft to scoop or roll, refrigerate it for 30 minutes to firm it up. If you want a darker exterior, use black cocoa powder like Bensdorp. 

Deep-fried Oreo Pops

Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and get ready to enjoy Oreos like you’ve never had before. Twist and lick? This time around, dip, fry, and devour! 

Makes 25 pieces  

Prep Time 10 minutes, plus freezing time  

Cooking Time 5 minutes

Ingredients:

25 pieces Oreos

For the pancake batter

3/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted butter

oil for deep-frying

1/4 cup powdered sugar, to serve

Procedure:

1  Insert a popsicle stick in the middle of each Oreo cookie. Freeze until ready to use.

2  Make the pancake batter: In a large bowl, mix together milk and vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat egg and melted butter into the milk mixture. pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until no lumps are left.

3  Dip frozen Oreos into the pancake batter and immediately fry in hot oil until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Cookie Eyeballs

Making these halloween treats only require a quick trip to the supermarket. They’re easy to make while being high on the fright factor.

Ingredients:

chocolate sandwich cookies

round chocolates

strawberry syrup, Twizzlers or 

      a candy decorating pen

Procedure:

1  Take apart a sandwich cookie and place a piece of round chocolate in the crème center to make your "eyeball."

2  Decorate the crème with red "veins" using syrup, Twizzlers or a red candy decorating pen (if you have one).

Decorating tip: Using strawberry syrup to create veins? Make it gooey with the help of cornstarch! Dissolve a teaspoon of starch in a tablespoon of cold water to thicken a cup of syrup. Heat your syrup and add dissolved starch mixture. Stir constantly until it simmers. Let it cool slightly. Transfer to a zip lock bag and snip one corner to pipe in your veins.