Where would a Halloween party be without suitably spooky finger food? Here are a few simple recipe ideas to satisfy any budding gourmet ghouls.
Known as a typical American holiday, Halloween has its origins much further back and on a completely different continent. In pre-Christian times, the Celts celebrated one of their four most important festivals called Samhain on the night of 31 October to 1 November. That marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the winter season.
Today, food still plays a crucial role in the spooky festival that has only grown in popularity over the years. While children go around trick or treating, more and more food creations around Halloween are also springing up. We reveal a few simple finger food ideas for any Halloween party.
Cake Pops with a difference: apple slices coated in chocolate and caramel are a quick and sweet snack for any Halloween party. Green or red apple slices, cut lengthwise, can be coated with either white or dark chocolate or caramel.
Decorate the coated fruit as you like before they set. From coconut shavings and peanuts to biscuit pieces, the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity! it's the time of year when you can really push the boundaries, so why not consider toppings made of candied pumpkin or American candy corn that are Halloween favourites.
Pumpkin mascarpone monsters are a real dessert hit for spooky festivities and are suitable for either a party buffet or a dinner menu at Halloween. In a glass, alternate layers of creamy pumpkin puree, whipped cream, mascarpone and vanilla sugar perhaps with a touch of gingerbread spice and crumbled chocolate cake. Place two small marshmallows with chocolate pupils on top for an authentic Halloween look.
A really easy-to-prepare and equally popular finger food for any Halloween party are witches' brooms with cheese. Take a slice of cheese, and cut it lengthwise (but not all the way to the end) several times until it forms a fringe. Then wrap around a pretzel stick and tie a piece of parsley around between the top of the fringe and the boom. A vegetarian version can of course be made with vegan cheese, so that the snack is a highlight for every guest to sample.
No Halloween party is complete without an array of savoury snacks. How about spider eggs, which are not only delicious but also quick and simple to prepare? Simply remove the yolks from hard-boiled eggs and mix with cream cheese, salt, pepper and herbs of your choice, then pour the cream back into the egg white halves. Paprika powder and sliced black olives on top add a spooky touch. Alternatively, you can fill the hollowed eggs with guacamole to add a touch of goulish green to your themed buffet.
Mini toadstools are the perfect last-minute finger food and make a wonderful Halloween variation on the classic Caprese salad. Garnish small mozzarella balls with halved tomatoes decorated with dots of cream cheese. Serve them on a bed of basil for extra foresty flair.
