Jeepers Creepers!

Ah! Who put those things in my fridge?! These cake balls and cake pops are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit! Bakerella has great step-by-step instructions on how to make all kinds of cake pops, but here are the basics:

Cake Pops and Cake Balls   [click to print]
1-13x9 Cake, baked and cooled
2 c. Frosting, any flavor (or 1 can store-bought frosting)
Lollipop Sticks
Cardboard box or styrofoam cube

Poke holes in box/cube to fit lollipop sticks. This will be your stand to allow cake pops to harden without getting a flattened side. Crumble up cake in bowl. Add frosting and mush together with the back of a spoon. Scoop out mounding tablespoons and roll into balls.

For Eyeballs...
White Chocolate Candy Melts
1 c. Chocolate Chips
Red edible ink marker

Melt bag of White Chocolate Candy Melts in deep bowl. Dip end of lollipop stick in chocolate and insert into cake balls. Allow to harden in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Dip cake balls into melted chocolate and cover completely. Place in stand and allow to harden. Melt chocolate chips and scoop into ziploc bag; snip off small corner and pipe pupils onto cake pops. Draw on bloodshot veins with a red edible ink marker.

For Mini Monsters...
Purple Chocolate Candy Melts
Green Chocolate Candy Melts
White Dragees

Melt each chocolate in separate bowls. For mini monsters on a stick, dip lollipop stick in chocolate and insert into cake balls. Allow to harden in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. For mini monster cake balls, just skip the lollipop stick part. Dip half the cake balls in purple chocolate and the other half in green chocolate, being sure to tap off any excess chocolate and place on wax paper or in stand. Before they harden, give each monster two (or more) eyeballs by lightly pressing white dragees into the chocolate. Allow cake balls/pops to harden. Melt chocolate again and drizzle over each cake ball or pop until they resemble hairy beasties. You can do this using a fork or by filling a ziploc bag with melted chocolate and snipping off a tiny corner. Allow to harden.

For Skulls...
White Chocolate Candy Melts
Silicone Skull mold (for ice cubes)

This is probably the easiest and fastest version of cake balls ever. Press 1-2 T. cake ball mixture into mold. Allow to harden in freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove from mold. Using a fork, dip skull in chocolate and tap off any excess. Place skulls on wax paper and allow to harden.

Source: Adapted and Inspired from Bakerella

Who ya gonna call?

Remember those spooky stories Mrs. Withers the Librarian would tell in the darkened library in elementary school as Halloween crept closer? Remember her cackly voice and the cobwebs draped from the ceiling and the glowing skeletons lining the walls? And the record player howling in the backround? It was enough to scare an 8 year old, that's for sure!

You probably won't need the ghostbusters to handle these little ghosts, but they sure are cute and tasty! Serve them plain or try them with a chocolate and almond garnish, you won't be sorry!

Ghostly Almond Meringues   [click to print]
2 egg whites, room temp
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
silver dragees or other tiny round candies for eyes

1 c. chocolate chips, melted
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted and crushed

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare pastry bag or ziploc bag with half-inch round opening. Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are very clean and free of soap or grease, or else your egg whites won't beat properly...or at all.

Beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and extract on medium speed until frothy with a bit of volume. Slowly add the sugar, with the mixer still running at medium speed, over the course of about 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should look smooth and white at this point.

Turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and continue beating until the mixture is thick, shiny and forms stiff peaks. It will kind of look like marshmallow fluff, but without all the air bubbles. It may take 15-20 minutes to get to this point.

Gently scoop the meringue into your bag and squeeze your ghosts onto the parchment paper. The meringue should be stiff enough to hold it's shape as you pipe. I found that it was easiest to move in small circles to form the ghost bodies, similar to how you would frost a cupcake. You want the base of the meringue cookie to be about 1to 2 inches wide. Add eyes.

Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour. Open the oven door an inch or two and continue to bake for 30 minutes. At this point the ghosts should no longer be sticky or wobbly when touched. If they still are, just leave them in the oven until they aren't. Turn off the oven and leave them until they come to room temperature.

They taste good now, but to make them even fancier, dip the base in melted chocolate and crushed almonds. Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from 101 Cookbooks