Halloween - or, "Trick or Treat," as it is often known - is a time of witches and demons, sorcery and magic, fancy dress and masquerade. Halloween, however, is also a time for eating and drinking tasty treats and what better ingredient to make these Halloween treats from than that age old favourite, chocolate. The chocolate treats for Halloween on this page will take many forms and will be developed and added to right up to Halloween itself - and even beyond...

Milk Chocolate Apple and Orange Clusters

Apples and oranges are two of the fruits most commonly associated with Halloween. Both are very high in Vitamin C and very nutritious in their own right but as a special Halloween treat it is entirely possible to combine them with milk chocolate.

3oz of milk chocolate (suitable for cooking) should be broken up and placed in to a small microwaveable dish. This quantity of chocolate requires approximately 1/4 of one apple or two large orange segments, chopped in to about 1/4" cubes. The chocolate should be melted in the microwave for around forty-five to sixty seconds, the fruit stirred carefully in and the mixture transferred to the paper cases with the aid of a teaspoon and a blunt knife. Expect to get six or seven chocolate clusters from this quantity of ingredients.

The chocolates should then be left in a cool place for at least an hour in order to set before being eaten.

Milk Chocolate and Plum Clusters

It only requires half of one large plum to make six or seven of these clusters with 3oz of milk chocolate. The easiest way to remove the stone from a ripe plum is to sit the plum on a chopping board, stem part uppermost, and use a sharp knife to slice down in to the plum until it reaches the stone. The plum should then be very carefully rotated away from you until the cut has traced the entire circumference. The two halves should then be gently twisted in opposite directions and will come apart as shown. The stone should be removed from one half with a teaspoon or knife. The plum should then be roughly chopped and stirred in to the chocolate.

Plain Chocolate and Glace Cherry Clusters

Glace cherries are of course very high in sugar and artificial preservatives so what I did in this instance is wash about four or five cherries thoroughly in running warm water to remove as much of the syrupy coating as possible, prior to halving them and then quartering each half. This should provide sufficient cherry pieces for 3oz of melted plain (dark) chocolate and make six or seven individual chocolate and cherry clusters.

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Clusters

Macadamia nuts are believed to be very good for the heart and are ideally suited to being combined with chocolate due to their naturally sweet taste. Six whole macadmia nuts should be about right for three ounces of melted white chocolate. The easiest way to crush them is to wrap them in a clean dish towel, place them on a chopping board and bash them with a rolling-pin. They should then be mixed with the melted white chocolate to form six or seven clusters.

White Chocolate and Banana Drops

It is necessary to make these chocolate treats for Halloween in two distinct stages. Firstly, half of the chocolate should be melted and half a teaspoonful placed in to each paper case. It is essential to leave this to cool and set before progressing any further.

When this chocolate has set, a thin slice of banana should be placed in each case and the remainder of the chocolate melted and poured on top. Ensure that the chocolate slips down the edges of the banana slices, to ensure the finished product is one solid drop.