Halloween Dessert Recipes

Vintage Halloween Party Recipes That Are Sure To Impress

Halloween Napoleon Recipe

Making puff pastry from scratch is not easy; it's really a lot of work. Therefore, for this Halloween dessert recipe, we'll substitute ready made puff pastry. It's readily available in sheets and makes creating a Napoleon an easy task. Allow time for the frozen pastry to thaw, and remember to work with one sheet at a time with the remaining sheets kept cool in the fridge until ready to use.

Be sure to cut your puff pastry with a sharp knife, the sharpest one you have. You want the edges of the pastry cut cleanly to keep the layers separate so they'll puff up properly during baking. Also remember to handle the dough as little as possible, and it will turn out just fine.

Thaw one sheet of frozen puffed pastry. Divide the puff pastry into three equal sections and bake according to package directions. Crush enough Oreo® cookies to make 1-1/2 cups. Set aside.

Prepare one package of vanilla pudding mix and add a few drops of orange (or combination of red and yellow) food coloring. Set pudding aside. Whip one small carton of whipping cream until stiff. While whipping, add two teaspoons vanilla and one teaspoon sugar to sweeten.

To build the napoleon, lay one sheet of baked puff pastry on serving tray. Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture on the puff pastry. Sprinkle 1/3 of the crushed cookies on top of the pudding. Spoon dollops of whipped cream on top of the cookies followed by a second layer of puff pastry. Continue layering pudding, cookies, and whipped cream.

Once the third and last layer of puff pastry is set on top, spoon three small dollops of whipped cream (do not spread) and top off with some additional crushed Oreo® cookies. Slice and serve at table.

Sweet Potato Filled Oranges

6 oranges
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened, divided
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Begin this Halloween dessert recipe by cutting the tops off the oranges, about half an inch off the top should do nicely. Try to cut the oranges so they'll remain upright and as stable as possible. Then, scoop out the flesh of the orange leaving a nice shell to fill. You might find it easier to remove the flesh of the orange using your hands versus a small spoon.

In a mixing bowl combine the sweet potatoes, orange juice, eggs, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup butter, and the grated orange peel. Fill the orange shells with the mixture and put them in a deep casserole dish to hold them up.

In a small pan combine remaining butter (1/2 cup) with brown sugar, flour, and pecans. Cook pecan mixture until the sugar dissolves. Spoon sugary pecan mixture over the filled oranges. Fill casserole dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom to help the cooking process and prevent the orange shells from burning. Bake oranges at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes till done.

To turn this into an affordable Halloween party recipe, simply cut the oranges in half and prepare as usual. Not only does cutting the oranges in half simplify and quicken the dessert's preparation, but it doubles the servings.

Note that this treat is a bit finicky to prepare, but the results are worth the effort. Even those who don't like sweet potatoes will rave about this dessert. You can also serve this impressive dish at Thanksgiving and Christmas as a colorful festive treat.