It’s getting to that time of year again. Time to switch on the heating, dig out your hats, scarves and boots and look forward to some of the upcoming seasonal celebrations.
It’s October, so there’s only one celebration on our minds right now – Halloween. We’ve already cracked open the Spiced Pumpkin syrup, considered our options for frightening fancy-dress parties and started to decorate the porch with spider webs, ghosts and skeletons in preparation for visits from Trick or Treaters. We’re also planning to spook up our food and drink for the ultimate Halloween experience.
We like to be a bit extra here at Smokin’ Bean, so this year we’re not just going to give you pumpkin themed drink recipes (for those – visit this blog) – we’re talking fun and creepy decorations for your drinks. These are ideal as a bit of novelty for guests, friends, the kids, Halloween parties – or just yourself. Because we all love a creepy coffee or a haunted hot chocolate, right?
Give these easy-to-make drinks decorations a try this Halloween!
Marshmallow Ghosts
Difficulty rating: ★
Haunt your hot chocolate with these spooky but sweet spectres
You’ll need: marshmallows, black edible ink pen or icing pen
These guys are so easy to make – just draw a little ghost face on the marshmallow with your icing pen and drop them in your drink. These are also great on their own as a sweet snack or for party food.
Mummy Biscotti
Difficulty rating: ★★
Biscotti: ultimate accompaniment to coffee. Now let’s mummify it
You’ll need: a biscotti biscuit, icing pens in white, black and red
Drizzle white icing horizontally across the whole of the biscotti. Once you’re happy with the coverage, draw two red circles towards the top to make the beginning of the mummy’s eyes. Then take the black icing pen and draw a dot inside the red circle to make the pupils. Now you have a biscotti mummy with evil red eyes.
This one is really easy and makes your biscotti that little bit sweeter with the icing on top. It’s great for dunking in your pumpkin spiced latte. You could also try this with a Lotus Biscoff biscuit.
Cappuccino Spider Webs
Difficulty rating: ★★
Easy milk foam art for beginners, this spider web design is super simple
You’ll need: a cappuccino, chocolate sauce, a pointed tool – a cocktail stick or skewer will work perfectly
Your cappuccino will need to have a nice, even layer of milk froth for this one. All you need to do, is draw concentric circles (3 or 4 will be fine) on top of your milk foam. Then take something pointed like a cocktail stick and drag it through the circles from the centre, towards the outside. This will give you the effect of a spider web.
If you can’t get your milk foam right for this one, try topping your drink with squirty cream, then levelling it off with a knife so the top is nice and flat. This will also make a good canvas for your spider web drink topping.
Spooky Spiders
Difficulty rating: ★★★
Arachnophobes beware: your coffee is about to get creepy crawly
You’ll need: a cappuccino or latte, chocolate sauce, 2 coffee beans
Again, for this one you’ll need a good layer of microfoam for your canvas. Place two coffee beans on your cappuccino one in front of the other to make the head and body of a spider. Using the chocolate sauce, draw four legs each side of the beans.
Try this one on its own or add it to your cappuccino spider web!
Shortbread Zombie Eyeballs
Difficulty rating: ★★★★
Gross? Yeah, probably, but it is Halloween after all
You’ll need: Shortbread Rounds, icing sugar, water, black icing pen, plus your choice of coloured icing pens for the iris, red edible ink pen
Much like the Biscotti Mummies, these little biscuits are a classic hot drink accompaniment that has been given the Halloween horror treatment.
Mix 3-4 parts icing sugar with 1-part water and dip your shortbread rounds in the mixture to coat it. Let it dry for one hour. Then draw a ring of colour (we’re using purple) for the iris and fill the centre with black icing for the pupil. Take your red edible ink pen and very lightly draw on some veins on the white of the eye.
Hands up who is going to give these a try? Or do you have any ideas of your own that you want to share with us? Let us have a look at your horrifying Halloween creations by tagging us on Instagram @smokinbeanuk.
Happy Halloween, Beanies!
By Sara Lindsay
Smokin’ Bean Digital Manager