Halloween…not something really celebrated here in sunny Thailand but I know my American family celebrate Halloween big time…..So I have put on my researcher’s cap and found an interesting recipe for black burger buns and black burgers which are made from black beans so this one is for all my veggie friends…
A lovely pumpkin soup with which no Halloween table should be without and not forgetting the kiddiwinks some lovely little ghost cakes…all in all, something for everyone from the wacky ( I will try ) anything to my little fairy friends who love a cake or two….
Ingredients:
Makes 12 cakes.
8 oz butter plus extra for greasing
8 oz castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 large eggs
8 oz self-raising flour
Icing sugar for dusting
12 cake cases for baking and a muffin tin
1 x 24 oz box white rolled fondant icing
1 tube of black Writing Icing
Orange and green gel colouring if doing the pumpkin cakes.
Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time adding a tbsp of flour with each egg. Beat well and fold in the remaining flour gently. If your mix is a little thick add some milk.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spoon the batter into the cake cases and fill each cake case until just over half full. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Dust your work surface with the icing sugar and roll out the fondant icing. Cut out circles to drape over the cakes. You can use a saucer as a guide. Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghosts. From the trimmings either use a mini cutter to cut out some tiny white oval shapes or roll out some tiny balls of white icing into oval shapes. Dampen them with a little water and stick them onto the front of the ghost. Use a blob of black writing icing for the pupils of the eyes.
To make the little pumpkin ones just add a little gel food colouring to the white fondant icing and mark and decorate as per the picture.
Even the kids would love to help decorate theses as they are so easy to make and it would be such fun for them.
My recipe for Squash/pumpkin soup.
Ingredients:
1 small squash/pumpkin, peeled and deseeded. Cut into pieces.
1 brown onion, peeled and cut up
1 carrot washed and cut
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Piece fresh ginger finely chopped
3 Broccoli stalks, peeled and cubed (I always save the broccoli stalks) for when I make soup. Waste not, want not and I think it is ideal for soups for flavour.
1-1½ litres fresh chicken stock or stock cubes.
Let’s Cook!
Heat a glug of olive oil and gently cook garlic ginger and onion to just soften and not colour.
Add other vegetables gradually and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes, then add stock and seasoning.
Simmer gently for about an hour or until vegetables are lovely and soft and remove from heat. I let it cool down a little before I blend.
This makes a lovely vegetable soup but I also use it as a base and freeze in portions.
When I reheat the soup I add little-dried chilli flakes and 1 or 2 tbsp of coconut milk.
It just gives it a creamy flavour.
Sometimes I add crushed lemongrass stalk and a little fish sauce, it depends on how I feel, it is a versatile soup base so play with it, have fun.
Add some curry powder, a squeeze or 2 of lime juice or coriander, whatever you fancy.
For Halloween, this soup would also look very nice served in a hollowed out pumpkin.
Enjoy!
Halloween Black Squid ink sauce.
A dark, spooky looking little sauce to whip up to add to your burgers on Halloween if you dare!
Ingredients:
Squid Ink…some places sell just the ink or if you want to get down and messy you can extract your own ink from the squid. I haven’t given quantities as it will vary from person to person as to the taste… Have fun and experiment!
Tomato Ketchup, Balsamic Vinegar and Salt n Pepper to season.
Really easy add all the ingredients together and whisk to combine adjust to taste as necessary…Simples…
Now for the piece de resistance.
Charcoal burger with a black bean burger patty.
Full instructions are given here..yes I chickened out making it myself..The recipe comes complete with warnings about charcoal and the best one to use …It is actually a very good post with some awesome comments and tips as well…I will hand you over to the very capable Purgatory Burger maker
If you do make one please let me know how it turned out… But wouldn’t they look awesome at your Halloween party and no nasty colourings or anything… Are you going to be braver than me????
I hope you enjoy these slightly unusual recipes.Have a lovely weekend, stay safe and laugh a lot as it’s Free and not much in this life is now….
For once I have everything but the icing! they look yummy!
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I envy your cute Halloween cakes!
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Thank you 🙂 Em 🙂
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All of this looks pretty delicious. Wish I could taste though haha. Happy Halloween. Have a spooky one! 😄
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Thank you so much and you enjoy Halloween 🙂
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Happy Halloween, Carol. Tink and I plan to go to his Cheers bar for Halloween, so I’ll be eating there, but these sound like fun for anyone partying at home.
xx,
mgh
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Happy Halloween, Madeline I hope you have fun as you know it is just another day here as it is not celebrated but we have other things so all cool ..Have fun xx
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I have friends here in America who consider Halloween their favorite holiday. While certainly fun many years, it has never been at the top of my list once I was too old to trick-or-treat (and some years it has been simply another day as well.) Still, I do say Happy Halloween to all.
xx,
mgh
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Lots of yummy things to try. Thanks for sharing.
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You are most welcome 🙂
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These are fabulous! They all look super tasty 🙂
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These are so creative. Definitely will be making for my sisters
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Thank you, I hope they enjoy them 🙂
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That burger looks terrifying!
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I agree it does..but some love to take Halloween to the next level 🙂 Me I will stick with normal 🙂
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How fun!! Halloween is my absolute favorite! Im going to try to make those cupcakes 🙂
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I hope you enjoy your Halloween and fun and thank you 🙂
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Hi blondieaka Never got into American style All Halloween prefer to go on a real Ghost Adventure! Many Thanks fore liking “Hit!” Be Safe TheFoureyedPoet.
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Neither have I …It is too commercialised for me …Real ghosts ( as long) as they are good ghosts..lol….You stay safe as well 🙂
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That Black Burger is certainly scarey- Would I bite into it?? Of course. Soup sounds simple so may just try that!
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Doesn’t it just and I also would try it but you can’t beat a bowl of beautiful soup ..Thank you for dropping in I hope you are well 🙂
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Love the creative of use of the black ink. But I’ll stick to the yummy Pumpkin soup. ❤
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I am with on that Debby I would try it but also prefer the soup…I will leave the creative scary things to the die-hard Halloweeners
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Lol, ditto that Carol. 🙂
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I’m not especially fond of black beans, though my wife likes them and I’ve used them in chili. I do like using fermented black beans in a special bbq Chinese chicken, though. Unfortunately, fermented black beans are hard to come by here.
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I knew it would divide people and it has but either through diet or just because it is Halloween I felt I should offer some choices and be as Halloween themed as possible 🙂
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I just wish that fermented black beans were more available here, though I understand why they aren’t. They feature often in authentic Chinese cooking, but there aren’t a lot of authentic Chinese cooks here. LOL
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Easily available here but it is just the way it goes isn’t It? You can get products I can’t or can but very expensive ..Swings and roundabouts …lol
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Super cute spooky cakes and love pumpkin soup, Definitely a recipe for me!
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Thank you, Paul..Not going to try the charcoal burger then ???
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Love squid but never fancied anything with squid ink. It does look exotic thought like something from a space alien burger joint!
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Yes, it does and as it will soon be Halloween I thought some might love the alien look for their burgers ..Me I’ll pass on that one ..lol
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Dear Carol
I have nominated you for some awards – Please check it out. Hope you will be able to participate: https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2017/10/07/4-awards/
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These are great fun!
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Yes they are..am going to make some jalapeno ones today or tomoz they are more me ..I do prefer savoury so watch this space…lol
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These cupcakes are quirky creatures. Adorabl! I’m going to my grandson’s birthday party as a zombie, at least the “face” part of me. It’s not yet Hallowe’en, but he loves dress up any time.
And, yes, I love the unusual. Thanks, Carol!
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Oh wow, that should be fun and yes those little cakes are adorable :)…I also love the unusual and quirky always have…lol
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The little cakes are adorable. The soup sounds good. That burger looks a tad menacing. (lol)
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It does indeed but fitting for Halloween I suppose…Ha ha
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So much fun!
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As always, amazing looking, sounding and reading food!
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Thank you Scott..you know me can’t just give you a straight forward recipe always got be a bit of chat or something but that is how I roll 🙂
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Oh! what fun for Halloween. I’m will save this one for sure. I have a friend who is giving me some late squash from his garden. That soup will be on my table. Thanks!!
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You are welcome Sam…I hope you enjoy it 🙂
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Indeed I do dare. Lovely recipes x
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Thank you and why not dare!
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I love these Carol.
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Thank you, Robbie…I think the black burgers are for the brave 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Carol Taylor has been slaving away in the kitchen again. This time with some awesome recipes for Halloween.. including a charcoal burger.. I can actually get that effect all year around….#recommended
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Thank you once again, Sally..you are a star xxx
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Pleasure Carol..hugs xx
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Not scare, just wanna to eat, so cute food! Nice recipe, Thank you :)))
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Thank you 🙂
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