All set for Halloween

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We’re all set for Halloween, squash, pumpkins and gourds of every size, shape and colour are piled precariously on the cookery school table tops, window ledges, in baskets and boxes, they look so beautiful. It has become a bit of a tradition now for children from the local schools to come to the farm to harvest the squash and pumpkin every Autumn. They have the best fun and are intrigued by the names, Hubbard,  Turks Turban, Little Gem, Delicata, Hokkaido, Crown Prince, Kobocha,  Cocozelle, Jack be Little, Red Kuri… Some are the size of a child’s fist, others so enormous that is takes two sturdy lads to carry them.

Everyone loves carving the pumpkins into scary faces for Halloween, the festival that apparently originated in Ireland over three thousand years ago when the pagan festival of Samhain  marked the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of the new year, the natural transition from lighter Summer to the darker Winter. At this time of the year it was believed that the division between this world and the other world was at its most fragile, allowing spirits to pass though. So as in the Mexican tradition of the ‘Day of the Dead ‘the spirits of the ancestors were invited back home and evil spirits were warded off. Bonfires, food, costumes and masks were all part of the festivities.

After the famine, the Irish carried their Halloween traditions to America where it is now one of the major holidays of the year. Similarly, here in Ireland where it is fast becoming as big as Christmas.  For several weeks now children have been whipped into a lather of excitement by all the Halloween temptations on TV and in the shops and the anticipation of dressing up as ghouls and witches to do the rounds of their neighbourhood for the annual ‘trick or treat’.

You may be amused to hear that we were inadvertently removed from the ‘must visit’ list a number of years ago when word spread among the ‘trick or treaters’ that Ballymaloe Cookery School was no good because you only got fruit and nuts.

The fact that they were home-grown apples and fresh hazelnuts, cobnuts and walnuts from the nut garden did not remotely impress the scary little dotes who were hoping for proper sugar laden treats. So I think we’ve been black-listed!!
The spider web cup-cakes did actually impress as did the ‘spooky puca’ meringues but they were scarcely worth the effort of schlepping up the long avenue for.

Here are a few more scary Halloween treats for you to have fun making with your children and their friends. YouTube  (I checked the spelling) is a brilliant source of ideas….

 

 

Devilled Spider Eggs

Serves 8

4 free-range eggs

3-4 tablespoons Homemade Mayonnaise (see below)

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped chives

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

black olives, sliced or nigella seeds, enough for 16 or more scary eyes

long fresh chives

shredded lettuce or baby spinach leaves

 

For the egg mayonnaise, hard boil the eggs for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and put immediately into a bowl of cold water. (Eggs with a black ring around the yolk have been overcooked). When cold, shell, slice in half lengthways and sieve the yolks, mix the sieved yolk with mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill into a piping bag and pipe into the whites.

 

To assemble

Bend the chives for spider legs, four on each side. Use nigella seeds or slices of black olives for scary eyes.

Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce or baby spinach.

 

Mayonnaise

makes 250ml (9fl oz) approx.

2 egg yolks, preferably free range

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon French mustard

1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar

225ml (8fl oz) oil (sunflower or olive oil or a mixture) – We use 175ml (6fl oz) sunflower oil and 50ml (2fl oz) olive oil

 

Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil into a measure. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil onto the egg yolks, drop by drop whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but don’t get too cheeky or it will suddenly curdle because the egg yolks can only absorb the oil at a certain pace. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.

 

 

Halloween Chocolate Pops

makes 25-30

225g (8oz) dark chocolate (we use Valrhona 52%), chopped

whole hazelnuts and almonds, toasted

whole pistachio nuts

yellow raisins

plump sultanas

freeze-dried raspberry

krispies

 

Chocolate Pop moulds

Put the chocolate into a Pyrex bowl over a saucepan of hot water (the base of the bowl should not touch the water). When the water comes to the boil, turn off the heat and leave until the chocolate melts.

Spoon into the moulds.  Insert a lollipop stick into each one.

Tap the work top to smooth over the top.

 

Decorate each chocolate pop with freeze-dried raspberries, nuts, dried fruit or pipe white chocolate on to the set chocolate to make scary faces.

 

Allow to set.  Unmould.

 

 

 

Dracula’s Fangs

Makes about 9 x 50g cookies

 

110g (4ozs) butter

50g (2oz) brown sugar

60g (2½ oz) castor sugar

1 eggs preferably free range

½  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

175g (6oz) plain white flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

60g (2½ oz) chocolate chips

50g (2oz) chopped nuts – hazelnuts – optional

 

To decorate

Bloody butter cream:

60g (2½ oz) soft butter

150g (5oz) icing sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

6-8 drops natural red colouring

white mini marshmallows

 

For the fangs:

3 – 4 almonds, peeled and slivered lengthways

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

 

Cream the butter add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg bit by bit, then the vanilla extract.  Mix the dry ingredients together and fold them in.  Lastly, add the chocolate chips and the chopped nuts.

 

Divide into 50g (2oz) pieces onto baking sheets. Remember to allow lots of room for spreading.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes, depending on size. Cool for a few minutes on the tray and then transfer to wire racks.

Meanwhile cream the soft butter and the sieved icing sugar, a few drops of natural vanilla extract and enough red colouring to make a blood red butter cream.

 

To assemble:

Cut the chocolate chip cookies in half, spread each semi- circle with a layer of blood red butter cream.

Arrange a layer of mini white marshmallows on one half. Top with the other, then insert the almond fangs on both sides allowing 4 mini marshmallows in the centre between the fangs. Fun for the Halloween Feast…..

 

 

 

Scary Strawberry Ghosts

Another super simple recipe to make with the kids for their Halloween altar.

makes 20

20 large strawberries

100g white chocolate

100g dark chocolate

 

Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a tray.

Put the white chocolate into a small pyrex bowl over a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil and turn off the heat immediately (the water should not touch the base of the bowl) Allow to sit until the chocolate melts.

Catch each strawberry by the calyx and dip in the melted chocolate until the fruit is almost fully submerged. Allow to develop a drip at the base, then lay each on its side on the parchment paper.

Meanwhile melt some dark chocolate also. Fill into a parchment piping bag and decorate each strawberry with eyes and a smile or a frown – Can be a happy, sad, or scary face, all part of the fun…..

Good to know, a toothpick dipped in the dark chocolate also works well.

 

Stephanie Alexander’s Spiced Pumpkin Cake

This pumpkin cake has a special place in my heart. The teachers and students at Collingwood College in Melbourne baked the cake from pumpkins they grew in the school gardens as a special treat for me, all part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation   www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

 

Decorate with spooky spiders and ghouls

 

Serves 20 approximately

 

350 g (12 oz) pumpkin (skinned and de seeded)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Pumpkin Cake

180 g (6¼ oz) light soft brown sugar or dark soft brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150 ml (5 fl oz) olive oil

250 g (9 oz) self raising flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

 

Lemon Glaze

250 g (9 oz) icing sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

Fresh thyme sprigs, (to serve)

 

2 x 1lb tin

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

 

Chop the pumpkin into 2 cm pieces. Place in a bowl with olive oil and cinnamon; give a good toss making sure all pieces are coated. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool, then blitz with a food stick blender or in a magimix.

 

Line the loaf pan with baking paper.

 

In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until  thick and combined. Pour in the olive oil and combine. Stir through the pureed pumpkin. Sieve over the flour and spices, stir together until all incorporated.

 

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

 

Meanwhile make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into a medium bowl, gradually add the lemon juice until you have a thick runny consistency. Pour over the cake and decorate with fresh thyme sprigs.

 

Ballymaloe Halloween Barmbrack

This is a more modern version of barmbrack, now commonly called a ‘tea brack’ because the dried fruit is soaked in tea overnight to plump it up.  Even though it is a very rich bread, in Ireland it is traditionally served sliced and buttered.

 

Yields about 12 slices (eat the crusts, too!)

 

110g (4oz) sultanas

110g (4oz) raisins

110g (4oz) currants

50g (2oz) natural glace cherries, halved or quartered

300ml (10fl oz) hot tea

1 organic egg, whisked

175g (6oz) soft brown sugar

225g (8oz) self-raising flour

1 level teaspoon mixed spice

50g (2oz) homemade candied peel

 

ring, stick, pea, piece of cloth, all wrapped up in greaseproof paper

 

450g (1lb) loaf tin – 12.5 x 20cm (5 x 8in) OR 3 small loaf tins 15 x 7.5cm (6 x 3in)

 

 

Put the dried fruit and cherries into a bowl. Cover with hot tea and leave to plump up overnight.

 

Next day, line the loaf tin with parchment paper.

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

 

Add the whisked egg, soft brown sugar, flour and mixed spice to the fruit and tea mixture. Stir well. Put the mixture into the lined loaf tin. Tuck the various charms into the loaf.

Cook in for about 1 1/2hours or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Brush with a little ‘bun wash’

 

Keeps very well in an airtight tin.

 

Bun Wash

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

Heat the water and sugar in a tiny saucepan, boil for two minutes, allow to cool.

About the author

Darina Allen
By Darina Allen

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