1) All Souls Cakes

Ingredients:

8 cups flour
8 egg yolks
4 yeast cakes
2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft butter

Preparation:

Take 1/2 cup milk and dissolve yeast cake into it. Make thin sponge by mixing yeast with rest of milk and 1 cup of flour. Mix thoroughly and sprinkle top lightly with flour and set aside to rise. Add salt to egg yolks and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add sugar, rinds, and mix with sponge. Add two cups of flour, alternating with the milk, and knead for half-hour. Add remaining butter and flour and continue to knead until the dough comes away from the hand. Set in warm place to rise until it becomes double in bulk. Separate dough into four parts, roll into long strips and braid into loaf. Brush top with lightly beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with poppy seed. Let rise. Bake in 350° oven for one hour.

2) Toffee Apples

Ingredients:

9 or 10 wooden skewers or sticks
9 or 10 firm eating apples
2 Tablespoons clear honey
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Preparation:

Wash and wipe the apples and remove the stalks. Put sugar, water and honey in a pan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to boil and boil briskly without stirring to 265° F. Reduce the heat slightly and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 310° F. While the toffee is boiling push the apples on the sticks. Dip them into the toffee to coat them. Place them on a greased tin and allow to set.

3) Eggs in Purgatory

Ingredients:

6 to 8 large eggs
3 or 4 large tomatoes, peeled or 2 large cans whole tomatoes
3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack chees
1 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced, or canned sliced mushrooms, drained
Chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Cut tomatoes into cubes and drain in a colander for several minutes. If the tomatoes aren't ripe and juicy, open the cans, drain the juice into a measuring cup and dice the tomatoes. In a 10" to 11" frying pan over high heat, heat olive oil or melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until they become soft and juices have evaporated (if you use can or jar, drain the mushrooms and stir over the heat for a very short time, as they are already cooked). Add tomatoes and stir to heat thoroughly. With a spoon, make 6 to 8 (for each egg) nest spaces and break an egg into each space. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover evenly with cheese. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until eggs are set as you like. Garnish with parsley.

Makes 3 or 4 servings.

4) Sugar Skulls

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 egg white
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. vanilla
colored icing
1 fine paintbrush

Preparation:

Sift powdered sugar. Mix the egg white, vanilla and corn syrup in a very clean bowl and then add the powdered sugar with a wooden spoon. When almost incorporated, start kneading with the tip of your fingers until you can form a small ball. Dust with cornstarch on board. Keep on kneading until it becomes smooth and then form into skull shapes. Let it dry completely and then paint with colored icing, including the names of the people you are giving them to.

5) Squash Flower Soup

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 quarts vegetable stock, or water
2 onions, sliced
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 pound (8 cups loosely packed) zucchini or other squash flowers
1 lime, cut into 6 or 8 wedges
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 cup grated anejo cheese

Preparation:

In a stockpot melt the butter over moderate heat. Saute the onions with the salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in the vegetable stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flowers and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain back into the soup pot. Pour in the half-and-half and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with the lime wedges and cheese.

6) Bones of the Dead

Ingredients:

3 eggs separated
3 tsp. baking powder
1 pound confectioners' sugar
3/4 pounds of flour (3 cups)
1/2 tsp. anise, or vanilla, or lemon flavoring

Preparation:

Mix dry ingredients and sift three times. Separate eggs and beat whites stiff. Beat the egg yolks with the flavoring you chose and add flour mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten whites. Work dough well. Roll into long strips of about 1 inch thickness. Cut 2 inches long, diagonally. Place on cookie sheet and let dry overnight uncovered. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.