The Shrunken Head

Elevate your Halloween celebrations with "The Shrunken Head," a delightfully eerie recipe that combines creative flair with cozy autumnal flavors. Start by carving spooky faces into tart Granny Smith apples, which are baked to perfection to achieve their signature shriveled look. These "shrunken heads" are then floated in a warm, spiced apple cider infused with aromatic cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and a touch of honey for natural sweetness. The combination of visual frights and comforting flavors makes this drink perfect for Halloween parties or chilly fall evenings. Serve in mugs for individual spookiness or as a centerpiece in a punch bowl—it's a whimsical, theatrical treat that's as fun to make as it is to drink! Keywords: Halloween recipe, spiced apple cider, carved apples, shrunken head drink, fall party drinks.

Nutriscore Rating: 79/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:45 mins

Total Time:75 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 medium apples Granny Smith apples
• 120 ml Lemon juice
• 5 g Ground cinnamon
• 2 g Ground nutmeg
• 1 liters Apple cider
• 30 ml Honey
• 8 pieces Whole cloves
• 2 sticks Cinnamon sticks
• 2 pieces Star anise

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 120°C (250°F).

Step 2

Peel the Granny Smith apples and cut them in half from top to bottom. Remove the cores with a small melon baller or spoon.

Step 3

Using a paring knife, carve spooky faces into the rounded side of each apple half. Be creative with expressions like creepy grins, hollow eyes, or frowns.

Step 4

Prepare a bowl of water mixed with lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning. Submerge the carved apple heads in this mixture for 5 minutes, then pat them dry with a towel.

Step 5

Place the carved apple heads flat side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the apples are slightly shriveled and resemble shrunken heads. Remove and let them cool.

Step 6

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the apple cider, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, honey, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves.

Step 7

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the honey dissolves and the spices infuse the cider.

Step 8

Strain the cider through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the spices, then return the liquid to the pot and keep it warm over low heat.

Step 9

To serve, ladle the warm cider into mugs or a punch bowl. Float one or two shrunken apple heads in each serving for a spooky effect.

Step 10

Optional: Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick for stirring. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1900.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1026.1

Total Fat 5.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 0.5g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 53.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 262.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 27.2g	0%
Total Sugars 197.2g
Protein 6.0g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 302.9mg	0%
Iron 6.8mg	0%
Potassium 2122.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 4.4%

Protein: 2.1%

Carbs: 93.5%