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Spooky Halloween Fruit Platter Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Spooky Halloween Fruit Platter Recipe

I made this platter for my daughter's Halloween class party last year, and I honestly couldn't believe how fast it disappeared. I was expecting the usual candy to win out, but these little fruit "monsters" got snatched up first. It's one of those recipes that looks way more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
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Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound green grapes – these become the "eyeballs " so pick ones that are firm and round
  • 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips – melts smoothly for piping the eyeball whites
  • 2 teaspoons mini dark chocolate chips – I use these as the eyeball pupils
  • 6 small oranges or clementines – pick ones with smooth skin so the marker lines show up clean
  • 1 black edible food marker – don't substitute a regular marker it's not food-safe
  • 4 ripe bananas halved crosswise – slightly ripe bananas hold their shape best for the "ghosts"
  • 1 large red apple cored and thinly sliced – soak slices in lemon water so they don't brown before serving
  • 3 tablespoons caramel sauce – warm it slightly so it drizzles instead of clumping
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts – adds crunch leave out if anyone has a nut allergy

Method
 

  1. I start with the grapes since they take the longest to dry. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in short 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. Spoon the melted chocolate into a zip-top bag and snip off a tiny corner to make a simple piping tool.
  2. Pipe a small dot of white chocolate onto one side of each grape, then press a mini dark chocolate chip into the center while it's still soft. Let these sit at room temperature until the chocolate has fully set.
  3. While the grapes dry, I move on to the oranges. Using the black edible marker, draw simple triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a jagged smile on each orange, just like a mini pumpkin face. Keep the design loose and goofy since imperfect faces actually look more charming on the platter.
  4. Let the marker dry for a few minutes before handling the oranges again. This keeps the lines crisp instead of smudging onto your fingers or the serving tray.
  5. Next, I slice each banana in half crosswise so they stand upright like little ghosts. Press two or three mini chocolate chips, pointed side down, into the top of each banana half to form eyes and a mouth.
  6. Work quickly here because bananas start to brown faster than the other fruits. If you're prepping ahead, hold off on this step until closer to serving time for the best color.
  7. Arrange the sliced apples in a loose layer across the base of your platter, then drizzle them with warmed caramel sauce and scatter the chopped peanuts on top. This creates a caramel apple base that holds the rest of the fruit nicely.
  8. Place the eyeball grapes, jack-o'-lantern oranges, and ghost bananas around the platter in small clusters. I like grouping similar "characters" together so the whole tray reads as one spooky scene rather than scattered pieces.

Notes

  • I always pat my fruit completely dry before adding chocolate or marker details, since moisture makes everything slide off.
  • I keep my melted chocolate just slightly warm, not hot, so it doesn't melt the grapes when I pipe it on.
  • I slice the bananas last and serve them within the hour, because they're the fruit that browns fastest on me.
  • I set out a small bowl of extra caramel on the side for dipping, since my family always wants more than what's drizzled on top.
  • I prep all my "dry" components, like the grapes and oranges, a day ahead to save myself time on the day of the party.