As a huge Halloween fan, this year I wanted a quick but memorable treat to take to a party. Zotter’s Basic White Light bulbs were my inspiration, as they add a lovely melty texture and rich white chocolate flavour to the treats, and are the perfect shape for monster skulls.

Chocolina’s baking mix was the perfect solution for the cookies, as it allowed me to spend more time decorating without spending hours in the kitchen. In no time the mix provided a tasty and successful cookie batter base.

Cookie Ingredients:

• Chocolina Coconut Dark Chocolate Cookie Mix
• Zotter White Chocolate Light Bulbs Chocolates
• 40g butter
• 1 egg

Optional:

• 1 medium-sized carrot, finely grated
• Red and yellow food colouring

Ingredients for Decorating:

• 50g baking chocolate, chopped
• Paintbrush for decorating
• Double boiler/glass bowl and pot

Time needed to bake: 30 minutes (how much time you need to decorate is up to you!)

First the decorations, then the cookies!

Making the Chocolate Skulls

To start with, lay your chocolate lightbulbs flat out on a plate. The chocolate has a very low melting point, so lying them flat will keep them from melting in your hands.

Next, melt 50 grams of finely chopped baker’s chocolate in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, balancing a glass bowl over a lightly boiling pot of water for a few minutes works very well. I use wooden spoons to support my bowl. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, as it can scald the chocolate.

Take the chocolate off the boiler when it has a glassy appearance like the picture to the left. It does not need to be completely melted, as the bowl will stay warm afterwards. Take the chocolate off the heat and stir to a smooth texture.

Then, use a paintbrush dipped in dark chocolate to paint the faces on your skulls. I find it is easiest to dip my brush and gently pull the chocolate up to create a peak on the end of the brush, then lay the chocolate over the bulb to make the teeth. It also gives you a nice straight line. Don’t worry about perfection- these little monsters look great with a bit of unevenness- it gives them a bit of an edge!

When you’re finished, let your new friends dry, and get ready to make your cookies.

Instructions for Cookie Baking:

Preheat the oven to 170°-180° C.

Pour the baking mix into a mixing bowl. Melt 40 grams of butter and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, mix the butter and egg into the batter until everything is evenly wet.

For an orange cookie, alternatively, add red and orange food colouring to the batter. Keep in mind that red is a much stronger colour, so you’ll need much more yellow to even it out. For my cookies, I also grated one large carrot into the batter. This adds a wee bit of sweetness, healthy flair and natural orange colour.

To bake, I used two spoons to drop my cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to space them well apart as they do spread out a bit.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven when they are still slightly soft.

Once your cookies come out of the oven, immediately transfer them to a cooling rack. Let them cool for a minute or two until they are not steaming, then press the chocolate skulls into the top. Voila!