Recipe: Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats

Halloween is quickly approaching and ever since I was bitten by the baking bug back in August, I've been trawling through Pinterest looking for Halloween themed bakes I can try my hand at. And the first of a several that I've made are these adorable and easy Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats. This recipe comes from cleanandscentsible.com but I stopped following the recipe when it came to decorating them as I couldn't get everything they recommended for decorating.

Quick disclaimer: Whilst I'm posting this recipe, I'm not trying to take credit for it and have credited the blog/website I found it on. I've also added a clickable link that'll take you to the original blog/website where this recipe is featured. I'm not claiming to have come up with this idea on my own, I just thought it was a good recipe and treat idea for Halloween and thought I'd share my attempt at making a Halloween themed treat. 

Ingredients
- 4tbsp Butter
- 5 Cups Of Mini Marshmallows
- 7 Cups Of Rice Krispies
- Green Food Colouring (I used Dr Oetker Extra Strong Green)
- 200g Milk Chocolate
- 1 Tube of Writing Chocolate

As I couldn't get all the decorations that the recipe recommended, I decorated them my way. However if you wanted to follow the original recipe you'd need;
- Candy Eyes
-  Green Mini Marshmallows
- Melting Chocolate
- Paper Straws


Method

1. Over a low heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan. It'll have to be large as it's what you'll be making the whole mix in. Once the butter has melted slightly add in the marshmallows and mix continuously until everything has melted together.I'd advise to not take your eyes off it for a second because that's when it's like to burn, especially towards the end when it's only a small amount left to melt. 
2. Once the marshmallows and butter are melted and combined, it's time to add in your food colouring. I used an extra strong gel food colouring as I wanted to make them really pop. Add it in gradually and mix thoroughly between each addition. It'll stop the colour sinking to the bottom of the pan and will give an overall colour later on.
3. When you have the colour you desired, it's time to add the Rice Krispies. It's best to do it gradually, one cup at a time, so you can easily mix them in and make sure that they're all covered evenly. Make sure to mix from the bottom as well so any of the marshmallow mix isn't left stuck to the bottom.
4. With a buttered spatula, press the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth over until the top is even. Don't forget the corners so you get a precise square edge. Cool and cut into rectangles. I cooled mine over night but you can pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is where I stopped following the original recipe. However if you click the link in the introduction, it'll take you to the original recipe where you can decorate it exactly as the recipe depicts. 
5. To decorate I melted 200g of Milk Chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, it takes a while but it's worth it the long while. Chocolate melted over a bain marie always has a glossier finish than chocolate melted in the microwave. 
6. Once I took the melted chocolate off the heat, I used the boiling to activate my Writing Chocolate Tube as per the instructions on the back. 
7. Then making sure I had plenty of room to let them set, I dipped one end of each rectangle into the melted chocolate to create his hair/top of his head. I let them rest on a clean piece of baking parchment and made sure they were evenly spaced apart so there was no chance of ruining them. 
8. Once all of them are dipped in chocolate, the writing tube should be ready to go. As per the instructions, knead the tube gently and then snip off the end. With a steady hand; mine was uber shaky which is why mine looks a little uneven,  draw a straight horizontal near the bottom of the square. And then draw three of four evenly spaced vertical lines through it to create the mouth. Repeat for each rectangle and then in the space left between the hair and the mouth, dot the writing icing to create eyes.
9. Leave them to set and then store in an airtight container to keep fresh or pop them into a Halloween themed bowl and serve at your Halloween party or gathering. 

 This is what they look like when they were finished and were being left to set. They look slightly uneven but because they're a Halloween treat I don't think they have to be particuarly precise or perfect. These are a perfect treat to make with the kids and are bound to go down a storm with all ages at parties and gatherings.

Why I Can't Wait To Say Goodbye To Summer

I like many other people am counting down the days until it's Autumn. Autumn/Winter is my favourite time of the year, I feel like it's when I'm at my best and that's more than okay with me. But that also means saying goodbye to Summer, something a lot of people don't want to do just yet. However I can not wait to see the back of Summer and today I thought I'd talk you through some of the reasons I can't wait to say goodbye Summer and Hello Autumn.

The Weather: The main reason I can't wait to say goodbye to Summer is also saying goodbye to the rollercoaster weather we're having at the moment. We started Summer with a blistering heatwave that made every move had work. I couldn't sleep, eat or even move without breaking out into an unladylike sweat that made me grumpy, snappy and just unpleasent to be around. Then it seemed to be cooling down and everything wasn't such a burden anymore before it skyrocketed back up this weekend and left us with a layer of humid air which is worse than the aforementioned blistering temperatures. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a Winter baby or if I just don't get on with heat that I find the colder weather Autumn brings is the weather that makes me thrive and my productivity skyrockets.

Summer Clothes: I'm not the most body confident person so having to wear as little as humanly possible to stay cool during 32C heatwaves both indoors and outdoors wasn't my idea of a good Summer. Sure I wore shorts and strappy tops but I'm much more comfortable in sweatpants and oversized sweat tops. And there were times when getting dressed was more hassle than it was worth. Which is one reason I can't wait to say hello to Autumn. I'm much more in my comfort zone during the colder months and find it so much easier to put together cosy yet hopefully cute outfits without worrying if people are staring at my curvier figure.

Make Up: Now this may sound like a very vain reason for wanting Summer over but I can not wait for those months where my make up doesn't slide off my face as soon as I step outside my front door. There have been a good few weeks where I've gone free of make up because it's futile trying to keep it in place for longer than five minutes. Not that I'm uncomfortable in my make up free face, I love not wearing make up and letting my skin breathe but in the name of my job and the joys of having good make up days I do prefer wearing make up. And during the colder months I find I get the most out of my extensive lipstick collection. And because of my dark hair and fair skintone I find that I suit the darker tones that are associated with the colder months and

Halloween, Birthday and Christmas: And my last reason for wishing Summer gone is that three of my favourites times of year all occur from September onwards. Apart from celebrating my best friend's birthday during Summer, nothing really exciting happens. However when September rolls around it becomes a countdown to Halloween, my birthday and everyone's favourite Christmas. And again my productivity around this time goes into overdrive. And for someone who get's very frustrated when she's feeling unmotivated, it's heavenly. So as soon as September 1st hits I'll be counting down until it's socially exceptable to decorate for Halloween and post all kinds of Halloween themed posts, keep your eyes peeled this year, I've got some exciting ones planned.

So this may make me sound like a miserable cow but I'm just not that big a fan of Summer. Sure I like the longer days, the brighter days which makes photos look gorgeous and the general happiness a bit of sun brings out but I'm more than ready now for Autumn, cosy jumpers, pumpkin spiced lattes and Christmas (yes I went there).