Sweet Spiders Recipes

CHOCOLATE SPIDERS RECIPE

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with wax paper.
• Melt chocolate according to package instructions. Gently fold in chow mein noodles. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out about 1-2 tablespoons at a time and place on lined baking sheets.
• Place 2 candy eyes on each chocolate spider.
• Allow to chocolate to firm up.
• Store in airtight containers until ready to serve.

PRETZEL SPIDER WEBS

Steps:

• Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In sets of 8, arrange the pretzel sticks into the spokes of 10 webs, with the centers touching and the outer edges spaced.
• Melt the melting wafers according to the package instructions, approximately 2 minutes in a microwave or 3 to 5 minutes over a double boiler. Transfer to a piping bag and cut the tip to create a small hole.
• Pipe a small amount of the melted candy onto the center of each web where the pretzels meet; this will hold the webs together. Then pipe a web pattern by starting in the center and spiraling out to the edges. Go around the outer edges a couple times to create a firm border. Carefully spoon over the sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining webs.
• Place chocolate spiders in the center, if using. Let set 1 hour.

DEEP-FRIED TARANTULA SPIDER

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 350°F.
• With a sharp knife, sever and discard the abdomens from the two tarantulas. Singe off any of the spider's body hairs with a crème brûlée torch or butane cigarette lighter.
• Dip each spider into the tempura batter to thoroughly coat. Use a slotted spoon or your hands to make sure each spider is spread-eagled (so to speak) and not clumped together before dropping it into the hot oil.
• Deep-fry the spiders, one at a time, until the batter is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove each spider from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain.
• Use a sharp knife to cut each spider in two lengthwise. Sprinkle with the paprika and serve. Encourage your guests to try the legs first and, if still hungry, to nibble on the meat-filled mesothorax, avoiding the spider's paired fangs, which are tucked away in the head region.

SCARY PEANUT BUTTER SPIDER COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Separate the chocolate candy balls into larger and smaller balls. The larger balls will make up the spider bodies and the smaller balls the heads.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Cream the sugar and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add the peanut butter and mix until creamy, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer speed down to low and add half of the flour mixture. Beat on medium until incorporated, then turn the speed down to low again and add the rest of the flour mixture. Beat on medium until incorporated.
• Roll the dough by hand into 1-inch balls, place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies are light golden brown and have spread to about 2 inches wide, about 16 minutes. The cookies are done when they smell very peanut buttery and the tops feel dry and slightly firm when pressed with fingers.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly so that it is slightly thickened but still pipe-able.
• When the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Immediately push 2 chocolate candies directly into each hot cookie, putting a smaller chocolate ball toward the edge of the cookie and a larger chocolate ball directly behind it in the center of the cookie.
• When the melted chocolate has thickened slightly, put it into a plastic bag and cut a small hole in the corner to create a piping bag. Pipe 8 legs on each cookie, starting from the point where the 2 chocolate candies meet. Pipe the front 4 legs so that they curve up toward the head and the back 4 legs so that they curve backward beyond the body. Reserve the remaining chocolate in the piping bag for the pupils of the eyes.
• To make eyes, pipe two 1/4-inch circles on the "heads" of each spider with the cake decorating gel. Pipe a tiny dot of the reserved melted chocolate in the center of each to make the pupils.

SWEET SPIDERS

Steps:

• Beat the food coloring into the icing. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Put the icing in a plastic bag or piping bag with a very small openning. Pipe spider shapes on the wax paper. Keep the icing cool by putting it in the refrigerator from time to time while you work. After the spiders have dried store in a dry place.