CHEF ILONA DANIEL: Whip up these Halloween treats for your favourite ghosts and ghouls

I’ve always enjoyed all things whimsical and fantastical, and Halloween seems to encapsulate them all.

I’ve got some recipes that are light on the tricks, but heavy on the treats. These recipes serve as immersive, hands-on activities for the little hands in your house and are also truly fun to do at relaxed gathering with your fellow whimsical-at-heart friends.

So why do we eat sweets on Halloween? The end of the harvest season in America was historically marked with the making and eating of simple sweets like caramel apples and mixed nuts. It wasn’t until the 1950s where trick or treating became a thing.

In the beginning, treats included things like apples, coins, and homemade baked items. It is in a nod to nostalgia and homemade spooky treats that I share the following recipes with you.

Peanut Butter Zombies

• By Chef Ilona Daniel
• Makes 32 portions

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 2 cup green candy melts
• 32 large candy eyes
• Sprinkles (for the hair!)

Directions

1. In a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer, whip together the butter, peanut butter, marshmallow, and vanilla until creamy.
2. Slowly incorporate the icing sugar. Scoop and roll the mixture into 30 even-sized balls. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. If you’re in a rush, pop them into the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Melt the candy melts according to the package directions. Use a toothpick to dip the peanut butter balls in the melted candy. Place on a piece of parchment paper and pull the toothpick out. Press a candy eye in the front and add sprinkles to the top. Let set. These freeze well and can be made ahead of time.

Galaxy Candy Apples

• 6 medium apples (washed, dried, and stems removed)
• Make two separate batches of the candy syrup; one will be dyed white, the other can be divided into two batches to be coloured turquoise, purple, or blue.
• For one batch of the syrup, you will need the following (don’t forget to make two batches):

Ingredients

• 3 cups of white sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp white food coloring
• Edible glitter dust to give the galaxy effect
• 1-2 tsp. of gel coloring (whichever colour you want your apples to be! For Galaxy Apples, use blues, purples, or turquoise)
• Candy Apple Sticks (or craft sticks or short dowels)

Other things you'll need:

• Cookie sheet
• Non-stick Spray
• Two saucepans
• Candy thermometer
• Rubber spatula

Directions

1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and food colouring (both the white and colour you want the apples to be) in separate heavy boilers (saucepans). Turn on medium to high heat and let each mixture come to a boil.
2. Be sure to have a candy thermometer inserted into the mixture but not touching the bottom!
3. Let the candy come to 302°F (hard crack stage). This will take about 20 minutes. There's no need to stir or disturb the mixture while it heats - just be patient!
4. Meanwhile, make sure your apples are ready (washed, dried, and on the sticks), then spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. When the candy reaches 302°, immediately remove it from the heat and use a rubber spatula to stir in the vanilla. Stir gently to get the flavour evenly incorporated but without mixing in too much air.
5. You'll want to work quickly because the candy will start to cool immediately.
6. As soon as the flavour is evenly mixed in, begin dipping your apples; first dip in the white, then in the other colours. The white dip will allow the other colours to appear more vibrant. You can drizzle and swirl the other colours if desired.
7. Finish with disco dust and voila - galaxy candy apples!

Ilona Daniel welcomes comments from readers by email at [email protected] or on twitter: Twitter.com/chef_ilona.