How to throw the ultimate Halloween party

It’s time to celebrate all things spooky and like throwing any memorable event, putting on a boo-tiful Halloween party is all about the details – the theme, the food, the decorations, the accessories and let’s not forget the fang-tastic fun!

So why not gather your friends and loved ones, don some crazy dress-ups and get amongst the action on 31 October?

Kids especially love Halloween and it’s a great chance to get your creativity going with the whānau. Whether you’re whipping up a creepy craft project or getting frightening in the kitchen, your local Warehouse has all the inspiration and everything you need to throw an epic bash. Use these ideas to kick-start your spook-tacular party planning and drive everyone batty!

Redback Spiders

PREP TIME 20 MINUTES MAKES 12

Spread ½ cup chocolate frosting over 12 Anzac biscuits. Using scissors, cut 1 licorice strap into thin strips. Cut strips into 96 x 4cm lengths. Using picture as a guide, arrange 3 chocolate Jaffa balls in a row across the centre of each biscuit, then arrange licorice strips to create the legs.

Rocky Road Graveyards

PREP + COOK TIME 15 MINUTES (+ CHILLING) MAKES 32

Line 32 mini muffin pan holes with paper cases. To make the headstones, pipe white writing icing onto the flat side of 32 chocolate-coated biscuits, as shown. Melt a 375g packet milk chocolate melts in a large bowl following packet instructions. Add 100g halved mini marshmallows, 225g finely chopped jelly snakes and 1 cup puffed rice cereal. Stir to combine. Spoon mixture into mini muffin cases. Push a headstone into each, then refrigerate for 5 minutes to set. Decorate with skeleton parts.

Black Bats

PREP + COOK TIME 45 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & COOLING) MAKES 24

• 125g butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour

• rainbow choc chips

GLACÉ ICING

• 2¼ cups (360g) icing sugar

• ¼ cup (60ml) water

• black food colouring

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper.
Beat butter, vanilla, sugar and egg in a small bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in flour, in two batches. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth.
Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firm.
Using an 11cm bat cutter, cut out shapes from dough. Carefully place bats on trays. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on trays.
To make glacé icing, sift the icing sugar into a small heat-proof bowl. Stir in the water and food colouring. Stir over a small saucepan of simmering water until icing is pourable.
Place bats on a wire rack, in a single layer. Pour glacé icing evenly over bats. Position choc chips on each bat for eyes. Stand until set.

Frankenstein Rolls

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR MAKES 20

• 3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 500g chicken mince

• 1 cup (120g) grated tasty cheese

• 1 cup baby spinach, chopped finely

• 2 green onions, chopped finely

• ¼ cup (15g) dried breadcrumbs

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 egg, beaten lightly

• ¼ cup (40g) poppy seeds

• tomato sauce, to decorate, plus extra, to serve

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Cut each pastry sheet in half. Reserve one half sheet for decorating.
Combine mince, cheese, spinach, onion, breadcrumbs and garlic in a bowl. Divide mince mixture into five equal portions. Shape each portion into a log along the long edge of pastry halves. Roll up, brushing edges with egg to seal. Cut each roll into four pieces. Place on prepared tray, seam-side down.
Roll small pieces of reserved pastry into balls. Using a little of the egg, attach one to each side of the rolls to form bolts. Brush one end of each roll with egg to form a jagged edge. Using photo as a guide, sprinkle with poppy seeds to create hair.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Decorate with tomato sauce to create eyes and a mouth. Serve with extra tomato sauce.