Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
2 cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (to taste)
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup strong hot coffee
Whipped cream and cinnamon, for serving
Steps
Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until hot, but do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and coffee.
Divide the mixture between two mugs. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon.
Pumpkin Carvings
Steps
Pick a pumpkin that is large because they have softer pulp. This makes it easier to detach.
To hollow out and carve the pumpkin, you need a good carpet knife, candles, gloves, vinegar or hairspray and a waterproof felt-tip pen. A large spoon or ice cream scoop is also needed.
First, remove the lid but remember not to take out the green part as it will serve as a handle (put the knife diagonally inwards so it doesn’t fall in).
Then remove the pumpkin pulp with the spoon (you can use it to cook something)
You can either draw a face on the pumpkin by hand or use a stencil.
Once the face is painted on, you can carefully cut out the individual facial elements with a carpet knife.
Fine lines are best done with a linoleum knife. With this technique, you should only scratch the hard outer surface of the pumpkin.
You should dry the carved pumpkin well to prevent mold from forming. To protect the pumpkin from the inside, you can rinse it with vinegar.
Finally, grease the cut edges of the pumpkin with Vaseline to seal them.
Pictures you can take inspiration from:
Eyeball Pops
Ingredients
100g madeira cake
100g Oreo cookie
100g bar milk chocolate, melted
200g bar white chocolate, melted
few Smarties and icing pens, to decorate
10 wooden skewers
Steps
Break the Madeira cake and cookies into the bowl of a food processor, pour in the melted milk chocolate and combine.
Then use your hands to roll into balls. Chill for 2 hrs until really firm.
Push a skewer into each ball, then carefully spoon the white chocolate over the cake to cover them.
Then press a Smartie onto the surface while wet. Chill again until the chocolate has set. Before serving, using the icing pens, add a pupil to each Smartie and wiggly red veins to the eyeballs.
Ghost S’mores Dip
Ingredients
1 bag marshmallows
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream, warmed
Graham crackers, for serving
Mini chocolate chips, for ghost eyes
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°. Place at the bottom of the oven.
On a baking dish, spread out chocolate chips and pour cream on top. Cover completely with a single layer of ghost marshmallows.
Place mini chocolate chips over to create eyes and mouths.
Bake until the chocolate has melted and the ghosts are golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve warm with graham crackers for dipping.
Blood Drip Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup malt powder
1 ¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
â…” cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups Buttercream Frosting
For the Glass Candy
½ cup light corn syrup
3 cups sugar
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
1 ½ cup water
Red food coloring gel, for garnish
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°. Fill the cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
To make the cupcakes, grab a large bowl and, using a hand mixer, mix together flour, cocoa, malt powder, sugar, coffee, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add in eggs, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla and beat on medium until well combined, about 2 minutes. Pour in ¾ cup boiling water and beat until well combined.
Fill cupcake liners until each cup is two-thirds full, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make glass candy: Line a baking sheet with foil. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until mixture begins to boil. Stop boiling and clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Use a brush and water to wash down any crystals. Bring mixture to 180°, then pour hot candy mixture onto the prepared pan. Set aside at least 1 hour, then break apart candy into shards.
Assemble: Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and insert candy glass. Pipe red gel onto cupcakes for a blood drip effect.
Candy Apples
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup water
½ cup light corn syrup
16 drops red food coloring (to liking)
6 medium apples
Steps
Grease a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment and grease it.
Insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through. Set aside.
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, combine sugar, ¾ cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring and bring to a boil. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches 180°, about 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.
Working quickly and carefully, coat apples in candy mixture and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Let cool completely before serving.
Pumpkin Tarts
Ingredients
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 pound butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups solid pack pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
½ cup butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package confectioners' sugar
1 jar marshmallow creme
1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Make the pastry dough by creaming together 12 ounces of cream cheese with 1 pound of butter and the sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Mix in the flour, a little at a time, until the dough is workable. Cut the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces, roll the pieces into balls, and refrigerate until needed.
To make the filling, mash 12 ounces of cream cheese with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until smooth and well combined; beat in eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next one. Mix in the pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract until the filling is smooth.
Cut each dough ball in half, and cut each half into 12 pieces. Working in batches, press each small piece of dough into the bottom and up the sides of mini muffin cups. Fill the little crusts almost to the top with the pumpkin filling. Refrigerate unused dough until you need it to make the next batch.
Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set and the crusts are lightly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before frosting.
Mash ½ cup of butter, the shortening, and 8 ounces of cream cheese together in a bowl until thoroughly combined, and mix in the confectioner's sugar and marshmallow creme until smooth and creamy.
Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled tarts. Sprinkle each tart with a few chopped pecans. Refrigerate until serving.
Bibliography
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Hemmerly, K. (2020, September 9) Super EASY Candy Apple Recipe // Video. [Photograph]. The Suburban Soapbox. https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-candy-apple-recipe/
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Noppinger, N. (2021, October 14). How to carve a pumpkin. How2ForU. https://how2foru.com/how-to-carve-a-pumpkin_1617/
Pumpkin Tarts. (n.d.) AllRecipes. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/217130/pumpkin-tarts/
Rege, L. (2011, July 30) Easy Candy Apples. Delish. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a28544141/easy-candy-apples-recipe/
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