Three Halloween Recipes  

It’s Halloween week, which means there will be no shortage of sweets, but not all treats are created equal. We have compiled our favourite Halloween treat recopies that are perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit and impressing your Halloween party guests. Not only will you have a great time making these festive sweats, but your guests will also defiantly choose the treats over tricks.

1.Witches Fingers:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups almonds
• Red decorating

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, egg, vanilla and almond extract
2. Beat in flower, baking powder, and salt. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Using only part of the dough at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge, roll it into finger shape for each cookie.
4. Firmly press the almond into the end of each roll, in the place where a fingernail would be.
5. Squeeze the middle of the dough at the sides to create the knuckle, and use a knife to make the wrinkles of the finger.
6. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, and let cook for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the almonds and cover the nail bed with the red decorating gel. Replace the almond so that the red decorating gel oozes around the nail.
8. Optional: Dip the bottom side of the finger in the red decorating gel.

2.Ghost Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups granulated sugar
• 1 ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup canola oil vegetable oil would also be fine
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten (preferably room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot water
• Chocolate icing
• 2 pounds white buttercream fondant
• Cornstarch, for rolling the fondant
• 12 chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting
• 12 small lollipops, such as DumDums
• 1 small tube black decorating gel

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin tin with cupcake liners
2. In a large bowl mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
3. Stir in canola oil and milk until combined
4. Add the eggs one at a time stirring them in each time.
5. Add Vanilla extract and hot water and mix until the mixture is thoroughly combined., the batter will be quite thin.
6. Fill the muffin tin 2/3 of the way in each cavity, and bake for 20 minutes
7. While the cupcakes are cooking dust a work area with cornstarch and roll out the fondant until it is about 1/16 inches.
8. Cut the fondant into circles around 4 inches in diameter. This step is made easier with a cookie cutter, but one is not necessary.
9. Place the circles over the lollypop and form them into a ghost shape
10. Once the cupcakes have cooled, ice them and place the lollypop ’s into the centre of the cupcakes.
11. Finally, squeeze out two eyes with the black decorating gel.

3.Candy Apples:

Ingredients:

• 8 small apples
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• ½ tsp White vinegar
• ½ cup water 
• ½ tsp red food colouring 

Directions:

1. Wash and dry apples and remove the stems
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper
3. Insert a lollipop stick, popsicle stick or thick wooden skewer into each apple
4. In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar and vinegar
5. Bring the mixture to a boil using a wet party brush to remove the sugar that collects about the boiling mixture to prevent burning on the pan. Avoid stirring the mixture.
6. After it has reached its boiling point simmer for 20 minutes, or until it reached 300F. It is best to use a candy thermometer so that it does not burn.
7. If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can test the mixture, but placing a small spoonful into cold water, if it hardens instantly, it is ready.
8. Add the food colouring and mix until the colour is uniform
9. Remove the pan from heat, and wait until the mixture stops bubbling.
10. Carefully dip the apples, inserting one side of the apple and rotating until covered. Place the apple on the wax paper and allow it to cool and harden.