Candy Crush: Dallas Chefs Describe Their Ultimate Halloween Treats

Grocery stores might already be blasting Christmas tracks and selling canned pumpkin substitute, but believe it or not, Halloween is coming. With that in mind, and because I just can't possibly talk about how much I hate candy corn any more, I asked a handful of local chefs and chocolatiers...

By foodbitch

October 29, 2015

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Grocery stores might already be blasting Christmas tracks and selling canned pumpkin substitute, but believe it or not, Halloween is coming. With that in mind, and because I just can't possibly talk about how much I hate candy corn any more, I asked a handful of local chefs and chocolatiers to describe the Halloween candy of their dreams, the one they'd create if time, money and the laws of physics didn't apply. Here's what they had to say:

Chef Brian C. Luscher, The Grape and Luscher’s Red Hots
I would really like to make a ridiculous popcorn ball. I always remember getting those as a kid from the old lady at the end of the block, but my parents wouldn't let me eat them. You know, razor blades and broken needles 'n' shit. Brown butter kettle corn, roll in a ton of Marcona almonds, Callebaut Crispearls, buttercrunch and a big ol' buckeye in the middle. Maybe get a white chocolate baby hand from Dude, Sweet and mount it on the outside. Wrap it up in some of that good orange cellophane.

Cindy Pedraza, CocoAndre Chocolatier
Our ultimate chocolate to give out to kids would be a honeycrisp apple dipped in caramel and chocolate to look like a cat (accompanied by our chocolate witch of course). We love caramel.

Chef Tre Wilcox, TRE Cooking Concepts
For my candy I would cover a short cylinder of banana with vanilla, white chocolate pudding, the pudding would stay solid and the banana would never go bad (obviously). Dust with coconut flakes and drizzle with caramel sauce that all stays intact, tastes delish and gets super messy when consumed.

Sue Williams, Chocolatier, Dr. Sue's Chocolate
If I were to design any Halloween chocolate for myself, it would have to be a dancing Catrina figurine made of chocolate. I love the spirit and meaning of Dia de los Muertos and would love to make a chocolate sculpture of Catrina.

Chef Kent Rathbun, Kent Rathbun Concepts
It would be a Chocolate Fudge Dried Cherry Bar with Sea Salt and Caramel on the top. Imagine a soft fudge cookie that has dried cherries in it that has been drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with sea salt.

Kevin Wenzel, Chocolatier, Wiseman House Chocolates
Every kid loves marshmallows, and the bigger the better. If I could make the ultimate giveaway this Halloween, I'd make marshmallows in the shape of a pumpkin and the size of a fist, chill it to firm it up and be able to withstand a dip into warm, fresh caramel before becoming soft again at room temperature. After the dip into caramel, a spread of peanut butter, then a dip into milk chocolate, THEN a dip into a mild dark chocolate, and create a chocolate twisted vine cap on top. Giving each kid a giant chocolate pumpkin their eyes would say,"What the heck is that?" I'd say,"a giant, chocolate-covered fresh marshmallow." I think they would be just amazed. Or maybe not. I remember trick or treating and my sister getting a regular size Hershey bar and me thinking, "How awesome," and, "Why didn't I get one?" A simple pleasure for girls only? Come to think of it, I despised homemade popcorn balls and wanted store-bought candy, as it wasn't found in our home. So maybe other kids are treated with homemade goodness at home and prefer sickening, sugar-coated, sour creations in neon, plastic containers.

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