A Halloween Treat To Make From Home

Over the weekend why not get into the Halloween spirit by baking some frightfully good Halloween shortbread and Raspberry Compote Dip.

For this recipe you will need:

Shortbread

• 375g unsalted butter
• 375g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 750g plain flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder

Colours, flavourings and icings

• 0.5 tsp cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ginger, 0.5 tsp all spice, 0.5 tsp clove, 0.5 tsp nutmeg
• 30g spinach
• 5 blanched almonds
• 5g activated charcoal
• 5g beetroot powder
• 5g icing sugar

Raspberry Compote

• 750g raspberries
• 175g caster sugar

The method is as follows;

1. Mix the cinnamon, ginger, all spice, clove and nutmeg to create the pumpkin spice mix.
2. Boil down spinach, drain and blend. Allow to cool.
3. Beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl and then add into the butter mixture. Work into a dough using floured hands.
5. Divide into 3 portions: with one portion add 1tsp of the pumpkin spice mix, with another portion add the blended spinach, with the last portion add the activated charcoal. Then knead each portion into a ball separately, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
6. Meanwhile make the raspberry compote, by placing ingredients in a saucepan on a medium heat, until raspberries have broken down. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
7. Make the red/black/white icing by mixing beetroot powder/activated charcoal, icing sugar and water.
8. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line three baking trays with greaseproof paper.
9. For the spinach dough measure out ½ tbsp quantities of dough, roll into a ball then roll out into a log shape. Press a blanched almond into one end, then lightly flour your hands and use them to shape it into a knobbly finger shape. The cookies will spread a little in the oven, so make them quite thin. Use the back of a knife to make indentations in the knuckles.
10. Roll out the other two doughs on a lightly floured work surface to a 0.5cm thickness.
11. For the pumpkin spice use the gingerbread man cookie cutter and remove a few limbs/heads.
12. For the activated charcoal dough use the bat cookie cutter.
13. Place the cookies onto the baking trays
14. Bake for 12-15 minutes, leave on the tray for 10 mins then move to a wire cooling rack.
15. Once cooled use the icing to decorate and rub pumpkin spice on fingers to look like dirt.