Halloween Furry Spiders Tarantulas Recipes

EDIBLE BLOOD-SUCKING CHOCOLATE TARANTULAS WITH RASPBERRY COULIS BLOOD

Steps:

• For the caramel: Place the unopened can of condensed milk in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 4 hours, keeping the water level constantly above the top of the can. Remove from the pan and allow to cool for 30 minutes before opening. Cool to room temperature (about 70 degrees).
• For the coconut paste: Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring well using a wooden spoon. Reserve half (for closing the holes later). Roll the paste into 12 (1 1/2-inch) balls for the spider bodies and 12 (3/4-inch) balls for the spider heads. Make a 3/4-inch hole in the center of the larger balls. Place the condensed milk/caramel into a piping bag and fill the hole. Seal the top by adding more coconut paste, enclosing the caramel.
• To assemble: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt 1 pound 13 ounces chocolate slowly in a double boiler to 100 degrees (slightly warmer than body temperature). Add the caramel oil and stir gently. Stir in the coconut, giving the chocolate a hairy appearance. Enrobe the spider bodies and heads in the melted chocolate. Join the head and body together before the chocolate sets. Place on the prepared baking sheet and put in the refrigerator to set completely, about 10 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 3 ounces chocolate and place into a piping bag. Cut a hole in the point of the piping bag to the size of a number 2 piping tip. Pipe 56 (1 1/2-inch) long and 24 (1-inch) long z-shaped spider legs onto the parchment. Allow the legs to set at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate or the legs will curl unnaturally.)
• Remove the spiders from the refrigerator. Using a dot of melted chocolate, attach the legs to the body, 4 long legs to the side of the body and 2 short legs to the front of the head. Pipe chocolate stripes onto the body. Pipe 2 eyes onto the head and, while wet, sprinkle edible gold sparkle onto the eyes.
• Place 2 tablespoons Rasberry Coulis on the center of each plate to represent blood. Serve the spiders on pools of Raspberry Coulis.
• Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Put the raspberries and the sugar syrup in a blender and puree, pulsing for 6 second intervals. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Stir in the lemon juice.

HALLOWEEN FURRY SPIDERS (TARANTULAS)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
• Add the cocoa, baking powder, and salt, then add the flour and beat to form a smooth dough.
• Roll out tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Thirty balls are the perfect size, and I then make the spiders in batches of six.
• Press the ends of eight pretzel sticks firmly into the dough to make legs, and place each spider on a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees until the cookies are firm, about 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons oil in the microwave or a double boiler; add additional oil if needed to make the chocolate thin enough. Put a cookie sheet under the wire rack and pour the melted chocolate over each cookie. (I usually hold the spider over the chocolate and either dip the legs in the chocolate or pour chocolate over the legs then shake to remove the excess chocolate so the excess chocolate drips back into the pot. Then I put the spider on the rack and spoon chocolate over the body.) You can scrape off the chocolate on the cookie sheet and return it to the pan periodically.
• While chocolate is still wet, coat each cookie with chocolate sprinkles.
• Press in two red candy eyes on the front of each head.
• Allow chocolate to harden before storing.

DEEP-FRIED TARANTULA SPIDER

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 350°F.
• With a sharp knife, sever and discard the abdomens from the two tarantulas. Singe off any of the spider's body hairs with a crème brûlée torch or butane cigarette lighter.
• Dip each spider into the tempura batter to thoroughly coat. Use a slotted spoon or your hands to make sure each spider is spread-eagled (so to speak) and not clumped together before dropping it into the hot oil.
• Deep-fry the spiders, one at a time, until the batter is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove each spider from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain.
• Use a sharp knife to cut each spider in two lengthwise. Sprinkle with the paprika and serve. Encourage your guests to try the legs first and, if still hungry, to nibble on the meat-filled mesothorax, avoiding the spider's paired fangs, which are tucked away in the head region.

TARANTULA COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• 3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.
• 4. Gradually add the flour mixture and cocoa powder. Beat to form a smooth dough.
• 5. Roll a tablespoon-sized ball of dough, and place it on a baking sheet. Arrange eight pretzel sticks around the ball like spokes on a wheel. Press the tips of the pretzel sticks firmly into the dough ball. Continue with the rest of the pretzels and dough.
• 6. Bake until cookies start to brown around edges, about 7-10 minutes.
• 7. Lift the cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula, and place on wire cooling racks. Let cool completely. Place the racks on sheets of aluminium foil or waxed paper.
• 8. In a double boiler (or the microwave), melt the chocolate chips with vegetable oil.
• 9. Pour the melted chocolate over each cookie. Coat with chocolate sprinkles. Press in two red candy eyes on the front of the head. Eeek!