4 minute read
Spooktacular sales
Be prepared for all treats and no tricks this Halloween with a frighteningly good offer
Halloween is, without doubt, one of the most significant seasonal opportunities of the year. There’s so much you can do to draw customers in with fun themed food and drink. As it’s such a popular event, whether you keep it simple or indulge your creativity, you’re guaranteed sales.
Keep it simple with pumpkin and bat-shaped iced cookies, cupcakes topped with buttercream ghosts and bats or chocolate-dipped wafer cones as witches’ hats, eyeball cake and marshmallow pops, zombie bread people, chocolate doughnuts decorated with eyes and fondant teeth, pizza topped with mozzarella ghosts and pumpkin soup. Or get creative with these ideas.
TOP TIP: MAKE UP TAKEAWAY GRAZING BOXES, AND OFFER BOXED CAKES AND BISCUITS FOR PARTIES TO FURTHER BOOST SALES
TRICK OR TREAT TRAYBAKE
»PREP: 15 MINS
»COOK: 40 MINS
Ingredients
225g baking spread
225g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
4 tbsp raspberry jam
213g jar of Marshmallow
Fluff or melted chocolate decorations such as coloured sprinkles, chocolate beans, jelly snakes, eyeballs
Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23x28cm shallow traybake tin.
Beat the baking spread and sugar. Once light and fluffy, slowly add the eggs. Once eggs are fully incorporated add flour and baking powder and mix in until soft and smooth. You could add in cocoa powder for a chocolate sponge.
Spoon mixture into tin and spread to level. Spoon on or pipe in jam at intervals over the sponge mix.
Bake for 35-40 mins, until the cake has risen and springs back when lightly pressed. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then turn out on to a rack and leave to cool completely.
Pipe or spread over the Marshmallow Fluff. Dip a palette knife into boiling water to prevent the fluff from sticking and use to smooth. Or cover with melted milk chocolate.
Scatter the decorations over the top. Cut into squares to serve.
SAUSAGE MUMMIES
Roll out shortcrust pastry and cut into strips. Wrap meat and meat-free full-size or cocktail sausages in the pastry strips, leaving the tops clear to decorate. Preheat oven to 200˚C/gas 6 and cook for around 20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool a little, then decorate with spooky faces using black food colouring and drizzle with some tomato ‘blood’ ketchup.
WITCHES’ FINGERS
»PREP: 10 MINS
»COOK: 10 MINS
Beat 100g butter and 100g sugar until pale. Add 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract and whisk again. Sift in 225g plain flour and ½ tsp baking powder and mix to form a soft dough. Chill for 30 mins. Divide the dough into 45 pieces and roll each piece into a finger shape. Press the back of a knife into the dough to make knuckles. Lightly press a blanched almond on to the dough where the nail would be, then remove to leave a little dent. Put on lined baking trays and chill for 30 mins. Preheat oven to 180˚C/gas 4. Bake for 10-12 mins until pale golden, then leave to cool on a rack. Once cooled, spoon a little strawberry jam on to the nail base and top with an almond.
Quick and easy ideas
Ice ‘scream’ sundaes
Serve strawberry jelly and ice cream with chunks of chocolate brownie and jelly snakes and bats.
Spooky snack mix
Combine mini snacks, such as popcorn, pretzels, cheese puffs and dried fruit, into a bag for a healthier on-the-go treat.
Spine-chilling slushies
Create seasonal orange slushies and chocolate milkshakes. Pour into glasses and decorate with squirty cream ghosts, and chocolate doughnuts, jelly eyeballs and orange, purple, green or black sprinkles.
