Looking for something to serve at your next Halloween or Zombie themed party? Filled with easy, chocolatey, two minute microwave fudge and painted to look like monsters, skulls, or eyeballs, these truffles are easy to make and are sure to please the palates and terrify the minds of your guests. Make sure you buy safe, gluten free candy melts for this project!

For the Truffles

1 c (8oz or 227g) Better Batter Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
pinch cayenne pepper, cinnamon, or instant coffee granules, optional
2 c (8oz or 227g) powdered sugar (Better Batter Corn Free Powdered Sugar coming soon!)
1/4 c non dairy margarine (you could use butter, if you wish)
1/4 c water (you could use milk, if you wish)

For the Decorations

Skulls:

1 bag (8oz) white candy melts
1 cup black candy melts or black frosting
good quality paintbrush or toothpicks

Monsters:
1 bag (8oz) green candy melts
1 cup black candy melts or black frosting
1 c white candy melts or frosting
good quality paintbrush or toothpicks

Eyeballs:
1 bag (8oz) white candy melts
1 cup black candy melts or black frosting
1 c each ‘eye’ colored candy melts or frosting – blue, green, brown, etc
1 container red gel paste or natural food color
good quality paintbrush or toothpicks
To Make the Truffles:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine chocolate cake mix, optional spices and powdered sugar in a 1 quart or larger microwave safe bowl, mixing until evenly combined. Place margarine or butter on top of the mix, and pour water or milk on top of the margarine.

Microwave for about two minutes, or until the liquids are bubbling and boiling.

Remove from microwave and stir well, to combine. Mixture will resemble very, very sticky cookie dough and will continue to thicken as you mix and as it cools. Once smooth and thick enough to scoop – this should resemble cookie dough – take a cookie dough scoop or tablespoon and scoop tablespoon size balls onto the lined cookie sheet.

Cover the balls with a layer of plastic wrap and allow to chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour for best results, before decorating.
To Decorate

Skulls:

Melt Candy melts gently at 30 second increments in the microwave or on low heat of a double boiler, until the melts are liquid. Do not overheat, or the melts may ‘seize’ and will not be usable!

Using a fork or slotted spoon, gently lower the cold truffles into the warm melted candy coating. Allow excess melts to drip off the truffles and place back onto the lined sheet. Allow the melts to cool and harden.

Using the black frosting (or melted black candy melts) and a good quality paintbrush or toothpick, sketch skull details onto the melts: For the eyes, make two upside down equilateral triangles about 1/3 of the way down the truffle and equally apart from one another. For the nose, make a smaller, upright triangle below and between the two ‘eyes’. For the mouth, draw a thin line across the truffle about 1/3 of the way up the truffle, below the ‘nose’. You may add shading, cracks, etc to the skulls as you wish.

Allow the icing or melts to set.

Store the truffles, covered, in the fridge, until ready to serve – they tend to sweat in hot environments.

Monsters:
Melt Candy melts gently at 30 second increments in the microwave or on low heat of a double boiler, until the melts are liquid. Do not overheat, or the melts may ‘seize’ and will not be usable!

Using a fork or slotted spoon, gently lower the cold truffles into the warm melted green candy coating. Allow excess melts to drip off the truffles and place back onto the lined sheet. Allow the melts to cool and harden.

Using the white frosting (or melted black candy melts) and a good quality paintbrush or toothpick, add eyes to the truffles: For the eyes, with toothpicks make one or two three dimensional circles about 1/3 of the way down the truffle and (if making two) equally apart from one another. Add details such as black pupils and eyelashes to the eyes to make them come alive, using a toothpick or good quality paintbrush.

For the nose and mouth, use your toothpick or paintbrush to draw fanciful, scary, or happy faces on your ‘monsters’.

Allow the icing or melts to set.

Store the truffles, covered, in the fridge, until ready to serve – they tend to sweat in hot environments.

Eyeballs:
Melt Candy melts gently at 30 second increments in the microwave or on low heat of a double boiler, until the melts are liquid. Do not overheat, or the melts may ‘seize’ and will not be usable!

Using a fork or slotted spoon, gently lower the cold truffles into the warm melted white candy coating. Allow excess melts to drip off the truffles and place back onto the lined sheet. Allow the melts to cool and harden.

Using the eye colored frosting (or melted blue, green or brown candy melts) and a good quality paintbrush or toothpick, add pupils to the truffles: With toothpicks make one dimensional circle about 1/3 of the way down the truffle . Add black pupils to the eyes to make them come alive, using a toothpick or good quality paintbrush.

To draw blood vessels, use your toothpick or paintbrush, dipping it in the gel food color or natural red food color and draw ‘veins’ along the eyes. It is okay if the veins bleed slightly, as this adds to the horror effect.

Allow the icing or melts to set.

Store the truffles, covered, in the fridge, until ready to serve – they tend to sweat in hot environments.