Spider Chocolate Cup Cakes can be decorated with liquorice legs, great for Halloween!

Makes 12 cakes

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Spider Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

100g plain chocolate
4tbsp golden syrup
150g unsalted butter, softened
80ml double cream
150g caster sugar
100g milk chocolate
20g cocoa, sifted
100g plain chocolate
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp Rachel’s Greek Style Natural Bio Live Yogurt
125g self raising flour
1 ½tsp baking powder

Decoration 2 tbsp Rachel’s Greek Style Natural Bio Live Yogurt Chocolate sugar strands Smarties or similar sweets (for the eyes) Liquorice laces or Catherine wheels

Method

1.Pre-heat the oven 180°C, gas mark 4 and line a muffin tray with paper cases.
2.Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave on medium power for 1 minute until melted, alternatively place over a pan of simmering water.
3.In a mixing bowl beat the butter, caster sugar, cocoa powder and eggs, until soft and creamy. Add the flour and baking powder. Lastly add in the yogurt ensure the mixture is well combined.
4.Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 20 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Leave to cool.
5.Meanwhile in a small bowl gently heat the icing ingredients, except the yogurt either do this in a microwave, medium power or over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate has melted, leave to cool then add the yogurt. The frosting should be soft but not runny.
6.Spoon the frosting onto each cake and carefully spread with the back of a knife. Dip each cake into chocolate sugar strands then place the Smarties for eyes, cut the liquorice laces into 8 equal pieces and push into the icing – work quickly before the frosting sets. To make the eyes stand out and a mouth simply place some of the frosting in a piping bag with a small plain nozzle and pipe for the desired effect.

Nutritional information

PER SERVING: 388kcal, Protein 5.4g, Carbs 39.6g, Fat 22.6g, Sat Fat 13.3g, Fibre 1.9g, Sugar 30.8g, Salt 0.4g COST PER SERVING: £0.25p

Spider Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

My Random Musings

This easy Halloween Jelly is great fun to make and kids love to decorate their own – the spookier the better!

Halloween Jelly Recipe

 

Halloween jelly recipe

Ready in: 4 – 6 hours or overnight

Serves: 4

Halloween jelly ingredients:

4 leaves of gelatine

8 tbsps bottlegreen Cox’s Apple and Plum Cordial

2 clementines

Selection of jelly sweets, i.e., wriggly worms, false teeth and snakes

Halloween jelly method

· Place the gelatine in a bowl, add 3tbsps water, leave to soak for 10 mins.

· Peel the clementines, removing any pith and seeds, segment.

· Place the bottlegreen cox’s apple and plum cordial into a large measuring jug, add the softened gelatine, pour on 500ml boiling water, stir until dissolved, cool.

· Divide between 4 serving dishes; add the clementine segments, leave to set in the fridge for approx 4-6 hours or overnight. Decorate with the sweets.

Cook’s tip: To stop the clementine segments floating to the top wait until the jelly has set a little then press them in.

 

Linked with https://www.clairejustineoxox.com/2018/10/goose-fair-goose-fowl.html

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My Random Musings

I love spider cupcakes for Halloween. Gruesome food ideas always entertain the children.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 12

Stork_Spider Cakes_Food Shot_310113_high res 1

Ingredients•

175g (6 oz) Stork tub

•
175g (6 oz) golden caster sugar

•
300g (11 oz) self raising flour, sieved

•
3 medium eggs

•
5 tablespoons milk

•
½ teaspoon baking powder

•
100g cooked pumpkin or butternut squash, mashed

•
50g chocolate and hazelnut spread

•
Zest of 1 orange

•
Topping

•
115g icing sugar

•
A little orange juice

•
55g (2 oz) plain chocolate, melted or use chocolate and hazelnut spread

•
Liquorice sweets and laces to decorate

Method
1. Place 12 muffin cases into a muffin tray.

2. Place the first six ingredients into a bowl, and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.

3. Stir in pumpkin mash and orange zest and divide half the mixture evenly between the paper cases, add a half teaspoon chocolate spread and then top with remaining mix.

5. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes oven 200°C, 180°C (fan assisted), Gas mark 6 for 20-25 minutes.

6. Add a little orange juice to the icing sugar until thick and spread over the muffins. Pipe the melted chocolate in 4 circles over the top and then drag a skewer through to give the cobweb effect. Place the sweets and laces on top to look like a spider

I hope you try these spider cupcakes.

You might also wish to check out recipes for fiendish cupcakes or carrot muffins as Halloween treats. If craft is your thing check out a spooky Halloween project for the family to get involved with.

Confessions of a New Mummy

Mummy in a Tutu

Witches fingers are a must-have for any Halloween party. Perfectly tasty and gruesome treats.

witch finger recipe

Makes: about 32

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour rising

Cooking time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients:

 

225g strong plain white bread flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon caster sugar

½ teaspoon fast- action dried yeast

1 teaspoon Very Lazy Garlic Paste

1 tablespoon Very Lazy Basil Paste

1 tablespoon olive oil

150ml warm water

1 egg, lightly beaten

25g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

32 blanched almonds

Little paprika

For the dip:

125g soft cream cheese

150g roasted red peppers, from a jar, drained

1 tablespoon tomato purée

½ teaspoon Very Lazy Piri Piri chillies with oil, drained

Method:

1.       Place the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and garlic and basil paste in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Using a wooden spoon stir in the olive oil and enough of the water to form a dough.

2.       Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 7- 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3.       Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

4.       Preheat the oven to 190ºC, Gas Mark 5. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

5.       Using your fist punch the dough to knock out the air bubbles. Knead on a lightly floured surface, then roll of the dough to a rectangle about 32 x 26 cm. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife cut the dough in half horizontally, then into 2cm thick strips. Fold one strip of dough in half, so it is 1cm thick, then roll to make a thin finger about 12cm long. Repeat with remaining strips. Pinch the dough to form knuckles and mark with lines. Bend to make scraggy fingers. Place on the baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle over the cheese.

6.       Toss the almonds in a little paprika, then press into the end of the fingers. Bake for 12- 15 minutes.

7.       Meanwhile make the dip. Place the roasted peppers in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir into the cream cheese, tomato purée and chillies.

8.       Serve the witches fingers with the dip.

 

Will you indulge in witches fingers?

Check out a pumpkin and sweet potato soup recipe

For an even sweeter treat try chocolate spider cupcakes to make yourself the most popular Halloween host.

Witches Fingers Breadsticks With Blood Dip

Pumpkin and sweet potato soup combines two of my favourite things for a taste sensation.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

700g (1/b 6oz) pumpkin flesh, roughly chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

1.2 litres (2pts) water or vegetable stock

200ml (7fl oz) Alpro Soya Original alternative to milk

4 tbsp Alpro Soya Alternative to cream

For the breadsticks:

4 assorted part baked bread sticks

2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1 Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes to
soften.

2 Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the water or stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 mins until the pumpkin and sweet potato are really tender.

3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan, Gas 6). Cut the bread in half lengthways, then make several cuts one third of the way up the length to look like broom bristles. Repeat with the other bread, put onto a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 5-8 mins until becoming golden.

3 Stir the Alpro Soya Single alternative to cream into the soup, whiz everything together in blender or processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan, gently warm through to
serve. Pour into bowls and finish with a swirl of Alpro Soya Alternative to cream.

Pumpkin And Sweet Potato Soup

To complete your Halloween banquet, try oozing eyeballs with spaghetti worms or carrot cupcakes for a sweet treat. Don’t forget to complete your Halloween celebrations with a spooky Halloween craft project.

Cuddle Fairy