#167 carve a jack o'lantern - COMPLETE

so here it is folks!
i've finally done it carved a jack o'lantern worthy of sitting on the front step. (well worthy enough)

i do appologise for the clarity of the pictures, they look much better in the dark, but my camera isn't capable of taking better shots than this after many attempts this was the best picture i could get.
but i hope you agree with me that they turned out rather well. in case you can't see it's Ghost Busters (my guilty pleasure) and Frankenstein. 

to make your own you need:

• a large pumpkin
• a Stanley knife or carving tools
• a large food bowl
• a large/ medium container
• a scoop or sturdy spoon
• a punch or pen to make a start hole for caving 
• paper
• pencil
• scissors
• tea light

what to do:

1. first take a piece of paper and a pencil and draw a stencil of your character onto it (you can find pictures and even stencils on line) 

2. cut the pieces that the light will shine through out using the scissors if there is a bit that needs scoring or not cut all the way through then use a different colour pen to indicate this for when you are carving

3. next cut a circle into the top of your pumpkin. this will be your lid so put it to one side but do not discard it. you may want to put some newspaper down and have hand wipes ready as the next bit is messy. 

4. next take a scoop and remove ALL of the flesh from the insides it is messy you have been warned, separate the pips and the flesh into the two different bowls and containers. (keep both the flesh and the pips as they can be used later to make some tasty treats.

5. once your pumpkin is completely gutted give a wipe with a paper towel then lay your stencil on one side and draw through the hole you created remember to draw on the bits that need to be scored in too. if you want to carve free hand with no stencil or drawing that's fine.

6. next use your punch to make a small hole along where you are going to cut. (the punch makes it easier to get carving tools into the pumpkin) 

7. cut all of your shapes out. be careful  with any sharp tools you are using. cut into the pumpkin but not all the way through for scoring. (you will score any bits that you want light to shine through but not completely cut out. and also bits that if you do cut all the way through parts of the pumpkin would fall off,)

8. once you have completed carving give the pumpkin a wipe to get rid of excess flesh then light a tea candle and place inside the pumpkin and place the lid back on top.

finish. 

remember those pumpkin flesh and pumpkin seeds i told you to keep well why not check out pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup pages for recipes on using your flesh. the lightly bake the seeds in an oven for a healthy snack  or add to the top of your soup and pie. 

spider web cupcakes

to make spider web cupcakes you will need:

• super moist german chocolate cake mix prepared
• 100ml of dark maple syrup
• 150ml pumpkin pie filling
• 1 tub or packet of chocolate frosting
• handfull of white chocolate chips 

To Make the Cupcakes: Place paper liners in a muffin pan, then fill each liner two-thirds full with prepared cake mix.Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, then set aside until cool. Repeat process until you've baked 24 cupcakes.

Transfer frosting into a bowl, microwave for 10 seconds, and stir; repeat until thin enough to pour. Dip cupcake upside down into frosting, submerging the top but not touching liner to frosting. Let excess drip off before turning upright. Continue until all cupcakes are glazed.

To Make the Cake Topper: Microwave white-chocolate chips in a bowl for 30 seconds and stir. Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until almost melted. Stir again until chocolate is completely melted. Pour inside a freezer bag with one tip snipped off to create a piping sleeve.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slide spiderweb templates  underneath paper. To make each web, use piping sleeve to trace white chocolate along design, making sure to connect all lines. Repeat process until you've created 24 toppers. Chill them in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula, remove webs carefully from parchment and position one on each cupcake.

pumpkin pie

pumpkin pie

Ingredients

Serves: 5

• 425g chopped pumpkin flesh
• 1 packet ready rolled shortcrust pastry
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch of allspice
• 95g dark brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 medium egg
• 30ml cream

Preparation method

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 1 hour | Extra time: 8 hours, setting

1.

Pre-heat oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

2.

Steam chopped pumpkin for approximately 30 minutes and leave to cool slightly.

3.

Place ready rolled pastry in a pie dish, cover with a disk shape of baking parchment and cover with dried beans or lentils; blind bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Take out and leave to cool.

4.

Blend or mash the steamed pumpkin into a purée.

5.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and dark brown sugar to the pumpkin mixture and stir.

6.

Whisk the egg and egg yolk in a bowl and add to the mixture along with the cream.

7.

Fill the pastry case in the pie dish with the pumpkin mixture. Lower the oven to 160 C / Gas 3 and bake the pie for 35 minutes.

8.

When cooked leave pumpkin mixture to set. And when cool put in fridge overnight to continue to set.

pumpkin mousse

pumpkin mousse

to make this delicious pumpkin mousse you will need:

5 large Egg Yolks

1 cup(s) Sugar

3 1/2 cup(s) Heavy Cream

15 ounce(s) Canned Pumpkin

2 teaspoon(s) Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon(s) Ground Ginger

1/4 teaspoon(s) Ground Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon(s) Salt

2 tablespoon(s) Dark Rum

1 teaspoon(s) Powdered Gelatin

3 ounce(s) Shaved Dark Chocolate

Instructions:

1. first take a large bowl fill it half way with ice and set aside.

2.Whisk the yolks, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3/4 cup cream together in a medium saucepan. Heat while stirring continuously with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon over medium-low heat, until thickened and the mixture coats the spatula -- about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set over the ice bath . Stir to cool.


3. Add pumpkin, vanilla, spices , and salt to the egg mixture. Stir 1 tablespoon rum and 1 teaspoon gelatin together in a small bowl. Heat the remaining tablespoon rum, and stir in to the gelatin mixture until dissolved. Gently whisk into the pumpkin mixture. Beat 1/2 cup cream to stiff peaks, and fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour into a shallow dish, cover and chill until cold and thick enough to fall from a spoon in heavy dollops -- about 8 hours or up to overnight.

4. Beat the remaining cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Alternately layer the pumpkin mousse and whipped cream in a glass serving dish. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings between top two layers. Serve chilled.

 

ghoulish ice-scream float

so it's less than a week to Halloween and you are probably starting to get some ideas for your Halloween party.
have you thought about drinks.
here is a great idea for a drink that looks great for kids parties and tastes even better.

what you need:

• ice cream of your choice ( vanilla and mint work best for ghoul icescream) 
• fizzy drinks (lemonade is better but you can use anything including coca-cola)
• food colouring (blood red, ghostly green, black,yellow anything you like)
• scary sweet/candy (jelly snakes and spiders work well or even white chocolate mice) 
• ...or add fruit for the healthy option. 

first take a large sundae glass or a tall glass if you don't have either ask an adult if they have a pint glass you could borrow.

fill it about two thirds with your chosen ice cream flavor you could even mix more than one ice cream flavor together to see what different effects you get.

next add your fizzy drink and fill just under the top of the glass. 

it should froth up nicely to create a creepy ghostly foam.

you can add different food colouring to create different effects and colours.

 you can add halloween sweets/candy to your creation to make it extra scary or add fruit for the healthy option.

add mint ice cream and green food colouring to get a ghoulish green ice scream float

creepy Halloween paper spider

you will need; 

• black construction card
• scissors
• crazy eyes (from a craft store)
• glue
• coloured pens or crayons (optional)

REMEMBER IF YOU ARE UNDER 8 YEARS OLD OR HAVE TROUBLE USING SCISSORS ASK A RESPONSIBLE ADULT TO HELP AND USE SAFETY SCISSORS.

STEPS; 

1. Cut two circle/oval shapes from your black construction card one must be bigger than the other this will form the body and the head of your spider.

2. to create the legs cut 4 long strips of card they need to be at least 4 times the length of the spiders oval body you could if you wanted more sturdiness opt for black pipe cleaners instead. 

3. glue the round head onto the oval body. only overlap them slightly but enough to give a firm hold. 

 4. glue the legs onto the body be careful to line the legs up exactly in the middle you may wish to measure the length of the legs so that it is even. use a pva glue if you are using pipe cleaners dutch tape also works. 

5.flip the spider over so that the legs are now underneath then bend each leg in the middle to create it's joints.

6. crease a hinge between the legs and the body so that the spider can stand. 

7.  the spider should be able to stand fiddle with it a bit so that it can you may need to trim individual legs that are a little too long.

8. finally add some eyes to your spider. spiders have more than two eyes did you know some species have up to 8. but you can add as may as you want. if don't have eyes to stick on try drawing some on with crayons or a correction fluid pen ask for an adults help when using correction fluid. 

3D paper pumpkin

 Decorate your home or classroom for Halloween with this easy three-dimensional paper pumpkin project.

what you need 

• orange construction paper 
• green pipe cleaner
• glue stick
• white glue
• scissors

STEPS 

1.
 fold any sheet of paper in the middle and drawing an arc along the paper's folded edge.










2.

While keeping the paper folded, cut out your pumpkin pattern. 










3.

Trace the pumpkin pattern at least ten times on orange construction paper.












4.

Cut out the pumpkin shapes.














5.

Fold each pumpkin shape in the middle.














6.

Without unfolding a pumpkin shape, apply glue on one of its outer faces.

*We recommend using glue stick instead of white glue or any liquid-type glue to prevent the paper from wrinkling or warping.






7.

Glue a second folded pumpkin shape on top of the first one, keeping both pumpkin shapes aligned at the edges.












8.

Press on the pair of pumpkin shapes to glue them together. Right photo shows how the pair would look when opened up.












9.

Continue gluing the pumpkin shapes one on top of the other, making sure they are aligned along the edges.












10.

After you have positioned the last pumpkin shape in place, cut a length of green pipe cleaner to make the pumpkin's stem. Use white glue to attach it along the straight edge of the pumpkin shapes.








11.

Glue the first and last pumpkin shapes together, sandwiching the pipe cleaner in the middle. You may need to apply more white glue along the pipe cleaner to make sure that it stays in place. Press on the glued area, especially along the section of the pipe cleaner stem.
















12.

Once the stem has been secured in place, carefully open up each of the paper flaps to transform your project into a three-dimensional paper pumpkin. When you're happy with how you positioned and spaced the flaps, allow the glue on your paper pumpkin to dry completely. You will discover that once the glue has set, the flaps will be more rigid and your paper pumpkin a lot sturdier.








13.

Trim off any excess length on the pipe cleaner stem. You may slightly curve it or shape it into a hooked handle.

Make these paper pumpkins to decorate your home or classroom for Halloween or autumn. You can put them on tables, hang them or string smaller paper pumpkins together into a Halloween garland.