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Easy Spooky Fruit Tray Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Spooky Fruit Tray Recipe

I started making this spooky fruit tray a few years back when I wanted something for my kids' Halloween party that wasn't pure sugar. It took me one messy first attempt to figure out the tricks that actually work, and now I whip it up without even thinking twice.
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Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large red apple halved, cored, and thinly sliced — a sweet, crisp apple holds its shape and color better than a soft variety
  • 4 ripe bananas peeled and halved crosswise — go for bananas that are ripe but still firm so they don't turn mushy
  • ½ pound green grapes — pick grapes that are firm and dry since wet grapes make the chocolate slide off
  • 6 whole mandarin oranges — leave the peel on for this one it becomes the jack-o'-lantern "shell"
  • 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips — melts down into the glue that holds the "eyeballs" together
  • 2 teaspoons mini dark chocolate chips — small enough to sit neatly as the eyeball "pupils" and ghost "eyes"
  • 3 tablespoons caramel topping — adds a warm sweet drizzle that ties the whole tray together
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts — gives a nice crunch against the soft apple slices
  • 1 black edible marker — this is what turns a plain orange into a grinning jack-o'-lantern face

Method
 

  1. Add your white chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for about 40 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds so it doesn't scorch. Once it's smooth and fully melted, transfer it into a small zip-top bag. Snip off just the tip of one corner with scissors so you have a thin piping stream.
  2. Pipe a small white chocolate dot onto each grape to form the white of the "eyeball." While it's still wet, press a mini dark chocolate chip into the center of each dot to act as the pupil. Let these sit undisturbed until the chocolate firms up completely.
  3. Take your whole mandarin oranges and use the black edible marker to draw simple triangle eyes, a nose, and a jagged smile right onto the peel. Let the ink dry fully before moving the oranges so the lines don't smear.
  4. Lay your banana halves cut-side down on a cutting board or directly onto your serving platter. Press two mini dark chocolate chips into each one, pointed side facing down, to form simple ghost eyes.
  5. Arrange your apple slices across the platter first, then drizzle them with caramel topping and sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top. Finish by arranging your ghost bananas, eyeball grapes, and jack-o'-lantern oranges around the apples until the whole tray looks full and festive.

Notes

  • I always dry my grapes and oranges completely before decorating, since any extra moisture makes the chocolate slide right off.
  • I melt my white chocolate in short bursts instead of one long blast, because it burns faster than you'd think in the microwave.
  • I let each decorated piece sit for a few minutes before moving it, so nothing smudges while I'm arranging the platter.
  • I slice my apples right before serving, not hours ahead, so they stay bright and don't brown on the tray.
  • I keep a few extra chocolate chips on hand, since a couple always end up stuck to my fingers instead of the fruit