Masked Ball: Dessert Party

CREAM CROWDIE
A cranachan or cream crowdie is a traditional Scottish dessert popular on Halloween night and used in divination games. When assembling the dessert, the host would insert coins, rings, and marbles into the mix. Those who got a coin would have a prosperous future, those who got a ring would get married, and those who got a marble were destined for a life of loneliness. If nothing was found in the dessert, the future was said to be uncertain. This dessert is sweet and a little bit decadent (note the whiskey) but very easy to make.

Serves 6.

YOU WILL NEED
• 6 tbsp (90 g) Oatmeal
• I pint (900 g) Raspberries or strawberries
• 20 oz. (591 mL) Double cream
• 6 tbsp (90 g) Honey
• 6 tbsp (90 g) Single malt whiskey
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Saucepan
• Parfait glasses
• Trinkets to mix into desserts such as coins, rings, or marbles

TO MAKE:
1. Toast the oatmeal until it is golden brown. Let it cool in the pan.

2. Place the cream in a bowl and whisk until soft and relatively thick.

3. Add the honey and single malt whiskey and fold it in with a whisk until it's soft and creamy. If you're planning to add trinkets to the mixture, do it now.

4. Put a few raspberries in the bottom of each parfait glass. Fold the rest into the cream mixture.

5. Spoon the rest of mixture into the glasses, then add cream to the top and sprinkle on the oatmeal. Add a few more raspberries to the top and chill for three hours.

SOUL CAKES
In eighteenth and nineteenth century Ireland and England, women baked Soul Cakes on October 31 and November I in preparation for All Souls' Day, November 2. On All Souls' Day, children went from door to door "souling": singing and begging for soul cakes or, in some areas, exchanging soul cakes for candy or pennies. Later that night, families ate soul cakes after dinner and performed Souling Night plays.

Try making your own soul cakes on All Hallows' Eve using the following recipe.

YOU WILL NEED
• 2 sticks Butter
• 3-3/4 cups Sifted Flour
• 1 cup (200 g) Sugar
• 1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) Nutmeg or mace
• 1 tsp (5 g) Each of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp (9.8 mL) Malt vinegar or cider vinegar
• Powdered sugar
• Mixing bowl
• Pastry blender (optional)
• Fork
• Baking sheet

TO MAKE:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C).

2. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or fork.

3. Blend in the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice.

4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add in the vinegar. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat until a stiff dough forms.

5. Knead thoroughly and roll out, 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Cut tie dough into 3-inch (7.6 cm) rounds and set on a greased baking sheet.

6. Prick the top of the cakes with a fork. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
As an elegant addition to your dessert table, try this rich champagne punch recipe.

YOU WILL NEED
• 1 cup (236 mL) Orange-flavored liquer
• 1 cup (236 mL) Brandy
• 1/2 cup (118 mL) Black raspberry liquer
• 2 cups (473ML) Unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 quart (946.3) Chilled ginger ale
• 2 Chilled bottles dry champagne (750 mL each)

TO MAKE:
In a bowl, combine the orange-flavored liqueur, the brandy, the black raspberry liqueur, and the pineapple juice and chill the mixture, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. In a large punch bowl, combine the chilled mixture with ginger ale and champagne and add ice cubes.

Makes about 16 cups (3.7 L), serving 12.