The spectacle of Halloween is about far more than scary costumes and horror films. The best Halloween parties are truly immersive, with the element of terror extending to every detail – from the decorations to the food itself. To get you started on your spooky soirée, here's a helping of delicious Halloween food ideas.
If you have a sweet tooth, this Oreo-based recipe should hit the spot. These biscuits look suitably gruesome for entertaining your friends and family, and are simple to make and flavoursome too.
Take the top off an Oreo cookie, taking care to leave the white centre intact.
Create the eye pattern using piped icing.
For a creepy pupil, finish with a small M&M or a chocolate chip.
Use a few different sizes of Oreos if you can find them, to help vary the dish and ensure it goes down in your family history as the ultimate Halloween party food.
Halloween snacks don't always need to be sugar based. These spooky cyclops skewers are an easy way to encourage children to eat fruit, and to provide a healthy snack for guests. This recipe is simple to follow, which means making these delicious treats can be a fun activity for the whole family.
Start by finding some wooden skewers – around four inches long is plenty to keep hold of all the fruit.
For the mouth of the cyclops, use smile-shaped fruits like orange and kiwi segments, pushing these on first.
Vary what you use for the nose, as this can help create different looks.
Finish with a single grape or round berry for the single eye.
If you've got some chocolate chips to hand, push one into the centre of the eye to create a scary pupil.
Halloween food ideas often revolve around children – but with this recipe, it's finally time for the adults to have a little fun. These spicy Jalapeño poppers make excellent Halloween party food, making a delicious but surprising snack for unsuspecting grown-up guests.
Start by combining some of your favourite cheeses in a bowl. Cheddar works well, as does anything creamy, like ricotta.
Add to this a handful of chopped spring onions and a generous helping of hot sauce or fresh chillies.
Slice your jalapeño peppers in half lengthways and fill with the cheesy mixture.
Wrap each one in a little pastry dough, then place them in the oven at about 375F (gas mark 5) for 15 minutes, or until they've turned golden brown.
Finally, place a pair of peas on each of the mummy-like chillies to look like eyes.
Now lay them all out on a serving plate, and give your party attendees a worthy Halloween trick or treat.
These recipes are just the beginning of a lively event. For the full effect, decorate your home in a dramatic dark colour scheme and keep the lighting to carved candle-filled pumpkins (out of reach of any younger guests). After all, though decorating your home for the season is fun at any time of year, it's at Halloween that you can really let your wild and creative side run riot.