BOO!!!!!
Halloween is just around the corner and this year I am bringing a couple of treats to the underground costume party that only “Halloween Aficionados” are allowed to attend. I am truly lucky to be invited to this super secret party of about 100 people (some secret). I am invited each year and each year it gets tougher and tougher to meet the costume demands that I place on myself. My costume this year is based on a TV character I just discovered. I’m not going to tell you who it is but I will give you a clue: She wears all white and chain smokes. Since I don’t smoke cigarettes I will exchange them for a vape disguised as a cigarette.
I am bringing some treats to the party that remind me very much of Halloween past and thought it might remind many of you of the treats that we were given and allowed to eat when there was no scare of tainted Halloween candy. These treats aren’t for the Trick or Treaters but more for a party or to nosh on while waiting for the door bell to ring.
Decorated Halloween Sugar Cookies
2 Large Egg Yolks
3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3½ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2½ Sticks (10 Oz.) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1 inch pieces
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cream. In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and beat at low speed until the mixture resembles crumbs, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream-egg mixture in a slow steady stream, beating at low speed until the ingredients are just combines. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, shape into disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ¼ inch thick (thick is important) and cut out shapes. Place on the lined baking sheets and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning the pans half way through the cooking time, or until pale golden. Cool on the trays.
When cookies are completely cooled, frost them with Royal Icing. Let cookies sit overnight uncovered. This gives the icing time to set. Cookies can be stored in tins for a long time, 3 to 4 weeks.
Caramel Corn with Honey Roasted Peanuts
14 Cups Popped Corn (About 1 Cup Kernels)
2 Cups Honey Roasted Peanuts
10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (1 Stick plus 2 Tablespoons)
1¼ Cups Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1½ Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt (Divided)
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Spray the bottom of 2 half-sheet pans with PAM for Baking.
In a large bowl mix the popped corn with the peanuts. Set aside.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, light corn syrup and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and melt the sugar. Once the sugar is melted raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 248°F. (Don’t let it get any higher in temperature as it will burn quickly. ) Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
Quickly pour the caramel over the popped corn and nuts and mix thoroughly to coat. Divide evenly between the 2 half-sheet pans. Bake for 45 minutes stirring twice during the baking time.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining sea salt.
Store in an airtight container for about a week. But it won’t last that long because it is hard to stop eating.
Hints and Tips: Be VERY careful when making the caramel as the high temperature turns this into napalm. If the hot syrup gets on your skin you will get burnt. Be sure to use a deep saucepan since it boils up and you don’t want it to go over the top of the pan.
Caramel Apples
12 Medium Size Apples (Your Choice of Favorites)
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Water
2 Cups Heavy Cream, Heated
1 Cup Coarsely Chopped Pecans for Dipping
Coarse Sea Salt for Sprinkling
In a small sauté pan, toast the pecans over medium heat, tossing several times, until pecans become fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium-large heavy sauce pan (a 6 quart size is best) place the sugar and water. Swirl pan over high heat until sugar is dissolved and cook until mixture turns brown NOT BURNT. Remove from heat: CAREFULLY and SLOWLY add 2 heated cups heavy cream. When you add the cream to the sugar mixture it will bubble up and if you add too much too fast it will flow over the sides of the pan. This could be dangerous so please be careful. Mix with a large stainless steel spoon and return to heat. Simmer the sauce over medium heat until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees. Remove from heat. Transfer to a heat proof deep and narrow bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
Insert a 5” pointed dowel into each apple (I used plastic twigs purchased at a craft store).
Dip each apple, one at a time, into the caramel sauce. Let the excess caramel drip off and immediately dip into the toasted pecans, or sprinkle the top rim of the caramel apple with sea salt. Place the coated apples on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or a silpat non-stick baking mat. Let apples set before transferring to a serving platter, about 45 minutes.
TRICK OR TREATS. MONEY OR EATS!!!
Enjoy Halloween and be safe.