Ghost Guts Recipes

FRIGHTFULLY EASY GHOSTS AND CUTIE BUGS

Steps:

• Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. In 2 (1-quart) saucepans, separately melt vanilla candy coating and chocolate candy coating over low heat, stirring each constantly, until smooth.
• Ghost cookies will be dipped in vanilla coating; bug cookies will be dipped in chocolate coating. Coat and decorate a few cookies at a time as coating sets up quickly. For each ghost or bug, place cookie in coating; lift out with fork, letting excess drip off. Place cookies, coated side up, on cookie sheets.
• For each ghost, place 2 miniature chocolate chips on each coated cookie to resemble eyes and 1 regular chocolate chip for mouth. Let stand 10 minutes until set.
• For bugs, cut pretzels into curved pieces for legs. Dip one end of each curved piece in chocolate coating; place 3 legs on each side of each cookie. Cut 2 short pieces for antennae. Dip one end of each pretzel piece in coating; place 2 antennae on top of each cookie. Place 2 candy-coated baking bits near antennae for eyes. Let stand 10 minutes until set.

STRAWBERRY GHOSTS

Steps:

• Wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth. Stir in extract. , Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts' tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze 5 minutes., In microwave, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each ghost. Refrigerate leftovers.

POTATO GHOSTS

Steps:

• Peel and quarter potatoes, then cover with water in a 4-quart pot and season well with salt. Simmer, partially covered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While potatoes are simmering, heat butter and milk in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
• Drain potatoes and force through ricer into a large bowl (or mixer bowl if using stand mixer). Beat in milk mixture, yolks, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper with an electric mixer at low speed until combined.
• Spread about one-third of potatoes in a buttered 1 1/2-quart shallow ovenproof dish. Transfer remaining potatoes to pastry bag. Pipe potatoes close together into 2 1/2- to 3-inch-high pointed mounds to form "'ghosts" and garnish each mound with 2 seeds for "eyes."
• Bake until tips of ghosts are golden and potatoes are firm, 20 to 25 minutes.

GHOUL AND GHOST DIPPERS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475°F (275°C).
• Roll out the pizza dough until very thin. Using cookie cutters or a paring knife, cut out spooky shapes.
• Transfer the shapes to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until golden brown.
• Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
• Enjoy!

MERINGUE GHOSTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the sugar in a small roasting tray lined with baking parchment. Shake to level out the sugar and heat in the oven for about 5 mins until hot but not melting. This helps stabilise the egg whites and give a smooth and glossy meringue.
• Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar using an electric mixer. Whisk slowly at first, gradually increasing the speed until the egg whites are at the stiff peak stage, about 5 mins. It's important not to over-whisk the egg whites. Remove the sugar from the oven as soon as the eggs whites are stiff.
• Reduce the oven to 110C/90C fan/gas ¼, leaving the door ajar to help it cool down quickly - the meringues need to be baked at a lower temperature.
• Turn the mixer up to full speed and start adding the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. You want the egg whites to maintain their volume as you keep adding sugar - if you see it starting to collapse, stop adding sugar and allow the mixture to stiffen and rise before adding the rest, a spoonful at a time.
• Once all the sugar has been added, keep whisking until you have a stiff and glossy mixture. It's ready to use when it holds its shape, usually about 2-5 mins after you add the last of the sugar. You should also be able to see peaks in the mixture when you remove and upturn the whisk.
• Add the pumpkin spice flavouring to your meringue if using, and gently fold it through the mixture. Do this by hand rather than in the mixer.
• Spoon your flavoured meringue into piping bags - one batch should fill two bags - shaking the mixture down to the bottom of the bag. Try to get rid of any big air bubbles you can see at this stage, but don't be too rough with the mixture.
• Cut parchment to the size of your baking trays. Cut off the bottom inch of the piping bag (about a 50p sized hole) and squeeze small dollops on to the corner of your baking trays to stick the parchment down.
• Hold the piping bag with both hands, placing one hand at the top of the bag and your other hand halfway down the bag. Hold the bag steady, about 2cm above the tray, and squeeze the bag from the top to start forming the body of your ghost. Keep the bag completely still while squeezing, using your lower hand to keep the bag steady.
• Stop squeezing once the meringue hits the tray. Lift the piping bag a tiny amount, without creating a break between the meringue on the tray and the meringue left in the piping bag. Drop the bag back down again and squeeze gently to form the top part of the ghost's body. Lift the piping bag straight up to leave a peak on the top of your ghosts' heads. This will take a bit of practice so don't worry if you don't get it right the first time, just keep going and get a feel for it! Repeat until you have piped all of your mixture - be sure to work quickly as your mixture will loosen over time. Find our tips for piping perfection below.
• Bake for about 40-50 mins until crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Leave to cool completely on the baking trays. Once cooled, draw two big, droopy eyes and an open mouth. If you don't have an edible pen, you can gently melt 50g dark chocolate in a microwave and use a small paint brush to paint on the faces. Will keep for up to two weeks in a loosely covered container.