BetterHomesAndGardensAustraliaDecember2015_

Boo buddies

3.Greet them with

ghouls!To make this

terrifying trio, trim and

tear three squares of

white fabric. Draw a

ghostly face on each

square with a fabric

marker (or stitch on

black fabric cut-outs).

Place each ghost over

a paper lantern, snip

a hole in the top and

suspend the lanterns

with twine.

Evil leaves

4.As the sun sets,

you’ll see fearsome

faces everywhere you

look. Spook ‘em with

this bunting to hang

by your front door: on

white card, trace around

a large liquidambar leaf

several times. Cut out

the leaves, draw on evil

faces, then string the lot

together with twine.

Spider steps

5.Watch them squirm

as they step over the

spider’s web made by

pressing black tape in a

web design onto pavers.

Slithering threshold

2.Watch their faces turn white with a stack of toy

snakes slipped under your front door mat – hiss!

Ghost bombe alaska

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 5 mins

Serves 4

4 x 1cm slices madeira cake

2 cups chocolate ice-cream

4 egg whites

200g caster sugar

1 Tbsp glucose syrup

¼ cup water

8 mini candy coated chocolate

drops

50g white chocolate, melted

2 Tbsp vodka, heated

1 Line an oven tray with baking

paper. Use a 5cm round biscuit

cutter to cut out a disc of cake

from each slice and arrange on

prepared tray. Scoop ice-cream

into four flat-bottomed half-ball

shapes and arrange, flat side

down, on top of cake discs.

Place trays in freezer.

2 Put egg whites into the bowl

of an electric mixer and beat with

whisk attachment on high speed

until foamy. Combine caster sugar,

glucose and water in a small

saucepan and cook over a high

heat to until mixture reaches

119°C on a candy thermometer.

Begin whisking egg whites on

medium speed and add hot sugar

syrup in a slow steady stream,

beating for 5 minutes or until

thick, smooth and completely cool.

3 Spoon meringue into a piping

bag or zip-lock bag fitted with a

large plain nozzle. Pipe meringue

onto ice cream cake stacks to form

a tall ghost shape then spread to

cover completely. Put two

chocolate drops on each ghost to

form eyes. Return trays to freezer.

4 Wrap the end of a marker pen

in cling film, then dip end into

white chocolate. Arrange on a tray

and freeze for 10 minutes until

chocolate has set. Unmould to

reveal miniature chocolate cup.

Repeat 3 times to make 4 cups.

Put one cup on top of each ghost.

Fill with vodka and set on fire.

Serve immediately.

Lurkin’ lanterns

1. Welcome trick or treaters to your front porch with a
   stack of jack-o’-lantern style faces on glass vessels. To
   make, draw a scary face on orange card, cut it out with
   a stencil knife, then place it on top of a sheet of yellow
   card. Wrap the assembly around a glass jar or vase and
   light up the face with a battery-powered candle (check
   out discount stores).

216

1

2