Spooky Halloween Recipes: Potion Punch & Swamp Apples

It’s been a long time since we’ve done any kind of Halloween Celebrations around our home, but I’m always up for creating – and so when I had the opportunity to come up with some ‘Spooky’ Halloween Recipes using 7Up, Hawaiian Punch and M&M’s, I was up for the challenge.

I recently had taken out a book from the library titled “Homemade Soda” by Andrew Schloss, and thought I could use an adapted Coconut Tea Syrup from it to add to the 7Up and Hawaiian Punch to make something interesting for Halloween.  The coconut milk in the syrup exceeded my expectations in making the punch spooky and as it separates and floats within and to the top of the punch, it reminded me of a potion, and so that’s why I named it “Potion Punch.”

Potion Punch is best made up glass by glass (or bottle by bottle) as it needs to be shaken or stirred up to get the coconut milk to mix back in.  The green tea in the syrup gives it a bit of a tang, the Hawaiian Punch gives it the sweetness, the 7Up of course makes it fizzy and the coconut milk gives it the spooky look and texture.

Potion Punch
Makes 1 serving

1/3 cup of Coconut Tea Syrup (see recipe below)
1/3 cup of Hawaiian Punch
2/3 cup of 7Up

Pour the the syrup into a glass or bottle, add the Hawaiian Punch and 7Up and stir. Add ice.  The coconut milk in the syrup will rise to the top, just stir with a straw or spoon, or shake it up if it’s in a bottle.

Coconut Tea Syrup
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
4 green tea bags
6 oz. of canned light coconut milk (be sure to use the light as full fat coconut milk will actually congeal even more than the light does)

Combine the water and honey in small pot and bring the mixture to a boil.  Take the pot off the heat and add the tea bags and steep for about 5 minutes.  Take the tea bags out and allow the syrup to cool.  Then stir in the coconut milk.  Keep refrigerated, and shake to mix the coconut milk back in if it separates.

Making caramel apples is messy.  You know this if you’ve ever tried it.  That’s why these Swamp Apples are perfect to make with kids.  They don’t require the caramel coating to look perfect, you actually want them to look like they just came out of the swamp and dragged a bunch of M&M’s sludge from the bottom with them!

The fun sized packages of M&M’s that you get in the larger Trick-or-Treat variety packs are perfect for this project because you don’t need the amount in a full sized bag of M&M’s.  I also used popsicle handles from our re-usable ice pop maker since they’re easier for little hands to hold than wooden popsicle sticks.  The apples are also good cut up in slices if you want to share one among a few children.

Swamp Apples
Makes 4 medium sized apples

9 oz. of baking caramels
2 tablespoons of 2% or whole milk
10 fun sized packages of M&M’s (or however many you want/need to add to your apples), unwrap and pour into a mixing bowl or other containers for decorating.

Unwrap and place the caramels in a large microwave safe bowl, add the milk and microwave in 30 second intervals for 2 minutes, stirring at each interval.  When the caramels have a nice smooth consistancy, dip your apple into the sauce and help cover it completely using a spoon.

If you’re going to coat the apples in the M&M’s dip and turn the apples into a bowl full of them.  You may have to press them slightly to get them to stick well.

Alternately you can just let your kids take the M&M’s and randomly place them all over the apples as we did in the photo below.

Wrap the apples in wax paper and put them in the freezer to help harden them up.  Don’t forget them in there, otherwise your apples will go funny on the inside if they get frozen completely.  After 30 minutes to an hour in the freezer, place them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.  Remove the wax paper, it will still stick to the apples slightly, but this is what will give it that “swampy look” as you take it off.

You can grab a coupon from Coupons.com to save some money off of Mars Halloween Fun Size Bags and find more ideas using Mars candies for a #SpookyCelebration on the Bright Ideas Home Page.

Also check out the talented blogging community and their projects on the #SpookyCelebration Pinterest Board.

What kind of Halloween Baking and recipes do you like to make for a #SpookyCelebration?