Keeping it Simple for Hallowe'en

I am keeping it simple today, folks - I have just a few Hallowe’en recipes to tempt you. They are a fine example of the grand culinary tradition of giving the same old dish a new name or a new decoration for a special occasion. From the Kalgoorlie Miner (West Australia) of 20 October, 1944:-

HALLOWE’EN LOAF.

Three cups flour, 1 cup sultanas, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ lb. dates, 2 oz. mixed nuts, 1 cup sugar, milk. Stone dates, cut into small pieces and mix with flour. Add other ingredients and add milk to mix to a soft bread mixture (about 1 cupful). Put in a few charms – such as a ring, button, and thimble – turn mixture into a greased loaf tin and bake one hour in a moderate oven.

HALLOWE’EN PUDDING.

One pound of cooking apples, 2 oz. breadcrumbs, 1 ½ oz. ground almonds, ¼ lb. sugar, 3 dessertspoons butter, 1 egg, a few almonds. Peel and core apples, cut into quarters and cook in a little water till tender. Mix crumbs with the apples and put into a greased pudding dish. Mix sugar, butter, ground almonds, and beaten eggs, put on top of apple mixture, decorate top with almonds and bake 40 minutes. Serve cold.

FROSTED FRUIT.

Select bottled fruit in sound condition of any small variety, such as plums, cherries, grapes, and dip one by one in beaten egg-white, then steep in a cup of pulverised sugar. Place fruit in a pan with bottom lined with white paper and set in a cooling oven. When frosting on fruit becomes firm, heap on a dish and set in a cool place.

And in case none of the above appeal because chocolate is your thing, here is another Hallowe’en Pudding. It is from the Meriden Record (Meriden, Connecticut) of October 28, 1941.

Hallowe’en Pudding.

Have ready a nice dessert, some cookies, ginger bread or pie and serve with piping hot coffee.

Hallowe’en Pudding will be a popular dish. Beat 2 egg yolks with ¾ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add one cup milk and cook in double boiler until custard consistency, beating constantly. Remove from fire. Add 2 squares or 6 tablespoons cocoa, and stir chocolate, broken into little pieces until melted. Soften one envelope plain, unflavoured gelatin in ¼ cup cold water and dissolve in hot custard. Cool and when mixture begins to thicken fold in one cup of cream or evaporated milk, whipped, also ½ teaspoon vanilla. Turn into dessert dishes and chill. Just before serving, decorate tops with faces made with cherries, raisins and nuts. Serve with whipped cream.