Gelatin Eyeballs

Gelatin Eyeballs

October 31: Halloween

Look at these “extracted” eyes—they are a creepy yet creative cuisine for Halloween! Instead of decorating cake pops or boiled eggs (which can be time-consuming when preparing other party platters), we wanted a quick recipe for the jiggly-wiggly body part. These gelatin eyeballs have a light almond flavor and taste similar to the Asian/Chinese almond float/tofu. Have a ball this Halloween with easy-to-make gelatin eyeballs!

Recipe

(Adapted from Halloween Forum)

Ingredients

  • 1 packet unflavored gelatin
  • ½ cup cold water
  • ½ cup hot milk
  • 2-3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • food coloring (for the “pupils”)
  • black tube gel icing (we used Wilton brand)

Directions

Lightly grease round molds (we used Wilton brand brownie pops mold) with vegetable oil. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, bloom the gelatin in cold water for at least a minute. Stir in the hot milk.

Gelatin Eyeballs

Add the sugar and almond extract. Pour halfway into the molds. Refrigerate to set for at least four hours.

Gelatin Eyeballs

Unmold the gelatin eyeballs and arrange on a platter.  Dip the wide end of a cake decorating tip in food coloring.

Gelatin Eyeballs

“Stamp” the “iris” onto the center of the “sclera” (eyeball), twisting slightly. Use a food-safe brush to paint towards the center of the circle to create the “iris” effect. Squeeze a small dot of black tube gel icing to make the “pupil”.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yield: 16 (or 8 pairs) of gelatin eyeballs.

Gelatin Eyeballs

Notes

  • For bloody eyeballs, decorate with red tube gel icing.
  • For a different flavor, try a teaspoon of other clear extracts (lemon, orange, vanilla, etc.)
  • For Christmas, re-use the brownie pops mold and make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Brownie Pops.

Apple Smiles

 Apple Smiles

October 31: Halloween

An apple a day keeps the (mad) doctor away! Nibble on some nutrition and snack on “apple smiles” for Halloween. The fruit is filled with peanut butter (protein) and fat-free marshmallows, which makes it a healthier alternative to the sweet treats and candies that the kids are collecting in plastic pumpkins today. These delicious dentures are another freaky yet fun food for Halloween.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • Apple slices
  • Peanut butter
  • Miniature marshmallows

Directions

Wash, dry and slice the apples to ½ inch thick. Spread a little peanut butter on one side of two apple slice. Arrange a few miniature marshmallows on top of the peanut butter. Sandwich with the other apple slice. Continue assembling the “apple smiles.” Serve as snacks immediately.

Apple Smiles

Choco-Roaches

Choco-Roaches

October 14: National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day

Gross out your guests when you gather together during the month of Halloween! Serve up some creepy critters we call “choco-roaches”! They look like chocolate-covered insects but they are really chocolate-covered dried dates with eerie innards of white frosting and nut chips. The string licorice antennae add disgusting details to the dates. Instead of eating real roaches for National Chocolate-Covered Insects Day, chew on “choco-roaches”!

Recipe

Ingredients

  • Dried, pitted dates
  • White tube frosting
  • Chopped nut pieces (we used pecan chips)
  • Black string licorice, sliced thinly
  • Chocolate squares or candy melts

Directions

Slit open the dried dates. Using a small round tip, pipe white frosting inside. Tuck in a few nut pieces. Close the dates and set aside.

Choco-Roaches

Print out a template of a cockroach clip art. Place under waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Slice the black string licorice thinly to make antennae. Position them on top of the waxed paper.

Choco-Roaches

Melt the chocolate and fill a pastry bag with a small round tip. Trace over the cockroach clip art, filling in the body and incorporating the antennae. With the lefttover chocolate, dip the dates until coated. Place on another cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

Choco-Roaches

Refrigerate both cookie sheets until the chocolate is chilled and set. Carefully remove the flat roaches from the cookie sheet and place on a treat liner or plate. Pipe melted chocolate on top of the body and “glue” a chocolate-covered date on top. Refrigerate to set. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Choco-Roaches

Notes

  • Some cultures consider insects a delicacy, whether plain or chocolate-covered.
  • An easier version of “choco-roaches” would be to eliminate all the ingredients except the chocolate, which could be melted and piped into cockroach shapes. They are flatter but still freaky!
  • We serve our “choco-roaches” in individual rectangle treat liners sold by Wilton.
  • Search our blog for more gross-looking goodies for Halloween.