The words “hungry ghost festival” may be more resonant here as compared to the very American Halloween, but judging from the amount of scary tours and themed nights popping up, Halloween may just start kicking serious ass outta the HGF (OK, or at least maybe strike the same amount of fear in the faint-hearted).
Even if you’re intelligently cynical and don’t buy the “all-hell-breaks-loose” premise of Halloween there’s no reason you shouldn’t have a blast come Oct 31. So make a freakish outfit, invite a bunch of friends and regale them with these very frightful, very grown-up yet easy-to-make treats. Hell yeah!
Dark Chocolate Mint Truffles
Let these dark little pieces of sin just melt in your mouth. The recipe makes about 30 truffles and you’ll need a mixer or a whisk.
Ingredients:
• 200 grams dark chocolate
• 200 grams heavy (or whipping) cream
• 20 grams fresh mint leaves
• 30 grams cocoa powder
Method:
1. Boil the mint and cream together then remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
2. Strain out the mint leaves.
3. Return the cream to boil and pour over the chopped chocolate to create the batter.
4. Chill the truffle batter in the fridge for one hour or until firm.
5. Once properly chilled roll and cut the batter into your desired shape and size before tossing the pieces in cocoa powder and serving.
Chocolate butter cream or Orange butter cream
Turn your cupcakes into Halloween treats by adorning them with the official colors of the ghostly festival—black and orange. You’ll need a blender, or a whisk, a baking tray and an oven. Makes enough topping for 12 cupcakes.
Ingredients:
• 125g butter
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 20 grams cocoa powder or
• 20 grams Orange food dye
(if making the orange butter cream).
Method:
1. Mix the sugar and water and bring to the boil for 5 minutes, making a syrup.
2. Add egg whites to a blender or just whisk in a bowl.
3. Slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites while mixing on high power.
4. Mix for 10 minutes while the meringue cools.
5. Slowly add the diced, chilled butter until it is fully incorporated.
6. Add cocoa powder (or the orange food coloring) and continue to mix until cool.
7. Put aside at room temperature.
Orange cupcake and chocolate cupcake batter
Makes about 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening (a solid fat made from vegetable oils; lard or butter can act as a replacement)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons orange food dye (for orange cupcake)
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder (for chocolate cupcake)
Method:
1. In a blender, mix the shortening and the sugar together, then slowly add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated.
2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
3. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly.
4. Slowly add the milk and vanilla to the mix and continue to stir.
5. Add the cocoa powder or the orange dye and mix.
6. Scrape into a pastry bag and fill each cup of a baking tray about three quarters full with batter.
7. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and top with the pre-prepared frosting.
Recipe provided by Tim Butler of Butler’s
The “treat” Cocktail
Definitely not one for the kids, this potent, knock-‘em-out “treat” will definitely get you into the right spirit for Halloween. You’ll need a cocktail shaker, and if you really want to go crazy, something to give your marshmallows a scorched look.
The Dark Annelida (cue spooky tone)
Ingredients:
• 30ml Grey Goose vodka
• 60ml dark grape juice
• 1 slice of fresh ginger
• 4 blueberries
• 2 raspberries
• Gummy worms or whatever gummy insects you can find (for garnishing)
Method:
1. In a mixing glass, muddle together blueberries, raspberries, ginger and sugar.
2. Add vodka and dark grape juice.
3. Fill with ice, shake well and strain into a chilled double Martini glass.
4. Garnish liberally with gummy worms or similar gummy creepy-crawlies.
Recipe provided by Ashvin Shawn Kishore (Shawn@bar-essentials.com.sg), Bar Consultant at The Bar Essentials—Bar Events, Bar Consulting and Liquor Purveyor offering an array of services and concoctions including cocktails, champagne, wine, beers and spirits for liquor connoisseurs.
