Halloween Party Recipes: Witches' Teeth and Custard Cups

Last week on the playground, another mom casually asked me to bring a snack to share at a toddler Halloween party. Just as casually, I replied that I would—but inside my head, the knife scene music from Psycho started screeching. 

I am a bit of a freak when it comes to Halloween snacks. So picking one—the perfect wonderfully cutesy, scarily spooky and somewhat healthy one—seemed impossible. Hot dog mummies wrapped with dough? Mini pizzas with mozzarella spider webs? Little bats made with grapes and blue corn chip wings?  

And then it hit me: witches' teeth. They're easy, healthy and look hilarious when kids bite them from the back. 

Witches' Teeth

Serves 16

• 4 apples, 2 red and 2 green
• 1 packet of slivered almonds

Core and quarter the apples, then cut a wedge in the skin side of each quarter to make the mouth. Insert the slivered almonds into the top and bottom. 

If I was going to a grown-up party—do those things still exist?—I'd make these pumpkin seed custard cups, courtesy of Andrea Litvin, executive pastry chef of The Spence in Atlanta, Georgia. 

"Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite Halloween snacks to eat," she says. "This recipe elevates and showcases their wonderfully nutty flavor when toasted." 

Pumpkin Seed Custard Cups

Courtesy of Andrea Litvin, executive pastry chef of The Spence, Atlanta, Georgia

Serves 5

• 22 ounces heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ cups pumpkin seeds
• 10 egg yolks

Heat the heavy cream and sugar together until sugar is dissolved and the cream is hot to the touch. While this is warming, place pumpkin seeds in a heavy bottomed, dry skillet over medium heat and toast until just golden brown. 

Place the toasted pumpkin seeds into the heavy cream and let steep for one hour. Blend everything in a blender and strain. Put strained mixture back on the heat. 

Temper the egg yolks by first adding all the yolks to a large mixing bowl and whisking them together. Add the heavy cream mixture in small increments to bring the temperature of the eggs up gradually while whisking. Add the tempered eggs to the hot cream and remove from the heat. Cool completely by placing over an ice bath. 

Once cool, ladle mixture into small, oven-safe ramekins and bake at 300 degrees F in a water bath for 8-10 minutes, or until the custard is set. Serve chilled and garnish with additional pumpkin seeds and fresh mint.