Marshmallow Web Candied Apples Food

APPLE SPIDER WEB POPS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
• Cut the apples lengthwise (stem to bottom) into 4 thick slices each. Remove any visible seeds and keep the core intact. The end slices will be rounded; cut a thin slice off so they lay flat. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each slice with a wooden ice-pop stick and push halfway into the apple.
• Combine the bittersweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the white chocolate and remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil to another medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
• Dip half of the apple slices completely in the bittersweet chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Dip the remaining apple slices in the white chocolate. Let sit at room temperature so the chocolate thickens a bit, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer the leftover dark and white chocolate to 2 separate small resealable plastic bags and snip a small corner off each bag. Pipe 3 to 4 dark chocolate concentric circles on the white chocolate-dipped apples and visa-versa. Drag a toothpick through the circles, starting the center and working your way out to create a spider web design. Refrigerate until hardened, 15 to 20 minutes.

MARSHMALLOW WEB APPLES

Steps:

• Wash and dry the apples and remove the stems. Insert a wooden apple skewer or paper straw into each about halfway through (pierce first with a skewer if using straws). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
• Microwave the marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue to microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each, until fully melted. Let cool until just slightly warm to the touch, not hot.
• Using both hands, grab the melted marshmallows with your fingertips and pull apart to create a "webbed" look. Wrap webs around each apple (see Cook's Note).

MARSHMALLOW WEB GHOST CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease four 8-inch round cake pans and two 5-inch round cake pans with flour-based baking spray
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer running, gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture turns pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Beat until just combined. Do not over-mix.
• Beat the egg whites in a clean mixer bowl on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in 3 additions.
• Place 2 cups of cake batter in 4 separate bowls. Tint the first bowl with the green food color, the second bowl with 1 tablespoon of the purple food color and the third bowl with the orange food color. Combine the cocoa and water in a small bowl, stirring well to create a paste, then add it to the fourth bowl of batter. Fold in the black food color and stir together well until the batter is dark and no streaks of white batter remain. Pour one color of batter into each of the prepared 8-inch pans.
• Tint the leftover batter with the remaining 1 tablespoon purple food color and place 1 cup of batter in each of the prepared 5-inch pans.
• Bake until the cakes spring back when pressed in the center, about 25 minutes for the 5-inch cake layers and 30 to 35 minutes for the 8-inch cake layers. Run a knife around the edges of the cakes and the pans and turn them out on wire racks to cool.
• For the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the confectioners' sugar and butter. Begin on low speed until crumbly, then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat again for another minute. If you find the buttercream is too stiff, you may add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is spreading consistency. Place about 2 cups of buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch piping tip; set aside for later use. Tint the remaining frosting with the black gel food color.
• Level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife or a cake leveler. Cover each cake layer with a small amount of black frosting. Begin with the black chocolate cake layer on the bottom, followed by the purple, then the green and ending with the orange on top. Cover the entire cake with black frosting using an offset spatula. Cover a purple 5-inch cake layer with frosting and stack the second on top. Cover with frosting using an offset spatula. Refrigerate both cakes until the frosting is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Stack the 5-inch cake tier on top of the 8-inch cake.
• For the marshmallow web: Melt the marshmallows in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until they puff and lose their shape. Stir well until deflated. Let the marshmallow cool slightly. Dip fingers (or gloved hands for easy cleanup) into the marshmallow mixture and stretch until thin and web-like. Wrap the marshmallow around the cake. Repeat the process until the marshmallow web effect covers both tiers of the cake. Let stand until firm, about 10 minutes.
• For the assembly: Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use the reserved bag of frosting to pipe a 2- to 3-inch mound of frosting. This will be a ghost body. Top with a second 1-inch mound of frosting for the ghost head. Repeat the piping process, varying the sizes of ghosts for visual interest, until you have about 20 ghosts. Add 2 black sugar pearls to each ghost face using a pair of kitchen-dedicated tweezers. Use a single black confetti sprinkle to create mouths on some of the ghosts. Transfer the pan to the freezer and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Use an offset spatula to transfer the ghosts to the edges of the cake.
• Bring the cake to room temperature before serving. Use kitchen-dedicated scissors to snip the firm marshmallow webbing before cutting into slices.

HALLOWEEN CANDY-COATED APPLES

Steps:

• Insert a lollipop stick or dowel into the top of 6 apples. Microwave 3 cups white candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Dip each apple into the white candy and let the excess drip off. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; let set before decorating unless otherwise directed.
• Mummy: Attach 2 candy eyeballs to a white candy-coated apple using more candy melts. Microwave 2 marshmallows until puffed, 10 to 15 seconds. Stir until smooth; let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop up the marshmallow (it will stretch into a thread) and wrap it around the apple.
• Spiderweb: Microwave black candy melts until melted; transfer to a small resealable plastic bag. Snip a corner. While a white candy-coated apple is still wet, pipe a spiral onto one side with the melted black candy. Use a skewer to gently drag lines out from the center to create a web pattern. Let set.
• Cat: Snip a marshmallow in half diagonally, then trim to make 2 triangles. Press the cut sides in black sanding sugar. Attach to a white candy-coated apple using more candy melts, then attach 2 green candies for eyes. Pipe lines with black icing.
• Skeleton: Roll mini marshmallows between your thumb and index finger to make them into a bone shape. Attach the marshmallows to a white candy-coated apple in a hand formation using more candy melts.
• Werewolf: Drag a skewer across a white candy-coated apple in 3 spots to look like scratches. Fill the scratches with red gel icing.
• Ghost: Make a puddle of melted white candy melts on parchment; set a white candy-coated apple on the puddle while still wet. Let set, then pipe eyes and a mouth with black gel icing.

COOKED APPLES

Steps:

• Core and quarter apples (do not peel). In a large heavy saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. As soon as ingredients begin to boil, lower heat to a simmer. Simmer apples, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let apples stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

CANDIED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Filling: Place apples, red hots, sugar and water in large saucepan. Bring apple mixture to a boil until red hots and sugar are dissolved (apples should not be completely cooked). Take off heat. Add almond extract and tapioca to mixture. Let cool till room temperature.
• Crust: Using food processor, pulse flour, pecans, salt, butter and sugar together. When you can't see large butter chunks, add water one tablespoon at a time. When dough forms, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. Roll out on lightly floured board. Place bottom crust in buttered pie pan. Spoon room temperature apple mixture into bottom pie crust. Roll out remaining crust.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or all by itself.

CANDIED YAMS AND MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roast whole yams in preheated oven until heated through but not quite tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir brown sugar, orange juice, and nutmeg with the melted butter to dissolve the sugar completely; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until the liquid thickens into a syrup, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Peel cooled yams. Cut yams into bite-size chunks; arrange in a single layer in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle syrup over the yams.
• Bake in the preheated oven, twice opening the oven to spoon syrup over the yams, until the chunks are fork-tender, about 35 minutes. Arrange marshmallows over the yams and continue baking until the marshmallows are puffy and browned, about 10 minutes more.

COLORFUL CANDIED APPLES

Steps:

• Wash and thoroughly dry apples; remove stems. Insert pop sticks into apples. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in food colorings. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage)., Remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples into hot sugar mixture to completely coat. Place on prepared baking sheet; let stand until set.