Halloween food has a clear theme. Candy corn, candy apples and buckets of, well, straight candy headline the sugary season. But for those looking for a more “grown-up” dessert table, you don’t have to settle for the basics. There are plenty of Halloween treats that maintain the hocus-pocus spirit of the season while catering to a more sophisticated palate.
If you’re looking for ways to channel that playful, spooky element without letting your table become overly childish, here are five treats that feature fanciful flavors and theming. They can help you steer into the holiday while keeping up with the most impressive tablescapes.
Spiderweb Cheesecake
If your dessert table goes beyond finger foods, look no further than a creepy cheesecake as your centerpiece. This is a great way to add a refined element to your spread that screams Halloween.
There are several ways you can go about this one. One option is to start with a dark brown cheesecake crust. The cheesecake filling can be the normal creamy color, but you want that nice, browned edge to set a darker tone.
Once your cheesecake is ready, add a white topping. The easiest option here is a tub of frozen whipped topping. But if you have a few extra minutes, consider making the whipped cream from scratch. Spread a thick layer across the cheesecake.
From there, make a ganache and pipe it in concentric circles around the top of the cake. Using a knife tip or toothpick, pull outward from the center to get your web. (If you want a step-by-step walkthrough, you can get that here.)
A spider-web cheesecake is visually stunning and only takes a second to decorate on theme. It’s a great centerpiece for your Halloween table without a lot of effort.
2. Blood-Orange Panna Cotta With Blackberry Compote
If you want to bring a fruity element to the table without sacrificing the serious design of your delectable decor, try spinning up a blood-orange panna cotta. Panna cotta is a very easy dessert that combines milk or cream with gelatin. The silky result is an Italian favorite that is regularly served with fruit, sauce or chocolate.
By going with a blood-orange flavor, you get a macabrely named treat that is as good for the taste buds as it is chilling to the sight. As a topping, crown the Panna Cotta with some orange, black and purple sprinkles.
If you want to elevate things even further, consider whipping up a blueberry simple syrup or even a blackberry compote. For the latter, combine fresh or frozen blackberries with sugar, lemon juice and a little water. Simmer until the berries burst and combine into a thick, spoonable sauce. Drip on top to create a blood-smeared look.
3. Ghost Meringue Kisses with Creepy Chocolate Eyes
If you want to be more playful, try to spin up some ghost meringue kisses.
Pipe meringue in concentric, shrinking dollops onto a tray, stacking smaller circles until you get a pointed top. Add candy eyes, bake slow and steady for an hour and presto! You have an adorable ghost that stands out on the table.
The main hurdle is creating a quality meringue. There are several ways you can give yourself the best chance for success here:
- Use fresh eggs — fresh is always better when it comes to whipping eggs
- Separate yolks and whites when the eggs are still cold from the fridge
- Let your eggs warm to room temperature before you start whipping
- Make sure your equipment is very clean, and use different bowls for separating and beating
Once you have everything set, add your sugar slowly, make sure you reach stiff peaks and don’t overbeat. It’s tricky, but if you’re careful, you can get a great result that adds a tasty treat to your spread that is almost too cute to eat.
4. Gingerbread Haunted House
If you’re tight on time on the day you’re hosting, another option is to go for a pre-prepared show-stopper. A gingerbread house works well here, if you can find the pieces to build one on the Halloween theme.
In this case, you want to be careful not to buy hard, unflavored gingerbread,as is often the case with pre-packaged options. The Amazing Haunted Gingerbread House by Mackenzie Limited is an eye-catching edible that you can order without sacrificing the quality of the gingerbread.
The best part about this ornamental option is that you and your guests can eat every bit of it. It’s handmade with real gingerbread, giving it a softer, homemade feel. And it comes tastefully covered in black, orange and purple trim, along with a spider, a ghost and even a mummy. If time is a concern, this is a great option.
5. Witch-Hat Chocolate Mousse Cups
For a fun, easy option that doesn’t compromise on the quality of your ingredients, pull together some witch-hat chocolate mousse cups.
Start with waffle cones. Melt cream and chocolate chips together, then cover the outside of each cone in a generous layer of chocolate. For a colorful flourish, have your choice of Halloween-flavored sprinkles nearby to roll each cone in when the chocolate on the tip is still drying.
When it comes time to serve, fill each cone with a chocolate mousse. Top with a chocolate wafer and then flip it onto a serving platter. The presentation is adorable, and the surprise filling is to die for.
Upping Your Spread This Halloween
Halloween treats don’t have to be restricted to tacky wrappers and endless candy corn. There are plenty of ways to improve a holiday spread this October 31st, especially if you’re looking for more grown-up options with better food.
On-theme choices like a spider web cheesecake or blackberry compote-spattered, blood-orange panna cotta scream delicacies while channeling the spirit of the holiday. Even if you’re tight on time, a high-quality pre-fab option, like a pre-assembled, handmade Halloween gingerbread house, can provide a sophisticated edge to any tablespread.
