Alien Fish Eggs With Spittlebug Froth Recipe

If you want to make a recipe for effect this is a good one.  If you enjoy having guests somewhat fearfully ask, "What's in this?" out of the side of their mouths because they haven't fully committed to swallowing yet, then this is definitely the recipe for you.

I happen to like the odd texture of pearl tapioca and the flavor of instant pistachio pudding, with it's unearthly green hue, that tastes nothing like pistachios. I also happen to know that quite a lot of people don't care for one, the other or both.  So I think it's genius to combine the two for optimal taste bud disturbtion. 

I've been eating tapioca since I was kid and I've never questioned what the hell it is.  Turns out it comes from the highly toxic cassava plant. Here's an interesting article aptly named Tapioca and Cyanide. Not to worry tapioca pearls aren't toxic, but you don't have to tell your guests that. 

About the name, my children don't like it, they thought it should be Ogre Snot.  I don't think its very snot like, but it is very terrestrial caviar like.  I know this because I've seen both terrestrials and caviar in the movies. I am open to suggestions for a better name, but I believe fish eggs, which sounds better than caviar by the way, does a good job preparing the palate for the tapioca.  Alien explains the green and spittlebug froth explains the whip cream texture.

I tried finding a better name, but that led me down a dark path.  Which brings us to the subject of ovipositor sex toys. That's a thing. I didn't know that, maybe you didn't either, but now you do.  Now neither of us can ever un-know that. Kitten Boheme has a very thorough, well written review if you still want to know more. 


There's a nice label at fantasyjr.com if you are camp Ogre Snot. Otherwise if you are camp Alien Fish Eggs with Spittlebug Froth (doesn't that just roll off the tongue), here's my label. Fonts are Chiller (MS Office) and Billy Argel Font by Billy Argel

Most of the recipe is straight off a package of Reese Large Pearl Tapioca and Jell-O Instant Pudding and Pie Filling. I used gelatin to stabilize the whipped cream because I made this a couple days in advance, you could skip this and just whip the cream with vanilla and sugar.  What else can you do with tapioca pearls besides eating it? Left dry it makes good looking spider eggs or added to water it makes icky looking potions, you can spot a few from our latest craft party. 

Alien Fish Eggs with Spittlebug Froth
(Pistachio Tapioca Pudding with Whipped Cream)

1/4 cup large pearl tapioca
2 cups whole milk, divided
1 - 3.4 oz. pkg pistachio instant pudding

1/2 teaspoon gelatin 
1 tablespoon cold water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons fine sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
gel food coloring (it's hard to see in the picture but I used teal.  I liked the blueish green with the pale green of the pudding, although I think orange would have made a nice contrast.) 

Chill glass bowl and whisk beater in freezer for whipping cream.

In another bowl, soak tapioca in 1 cup of room temperature water overnight and then drain. (I cheated and only soaked it for 4 hours and it cooked up fine, but I'm not legally responsible for what happens with your tapioca.)

In a double boiler*, heat 1 cup milk just until no longer cold.  Add tapioca.  Continue heating until small bubbles appear at sides of pan.  Cover, turn heat to very low and cook for one hour. Make sure that milk mixture does not simmer or boil. Remove from heat and let cool.

Beat pudding mix into 1 cup cold milk in bowl with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in tapioca mixture.

For stabilized whipped cream, bloom gelatin in water, then microwave for a few seconds until melted. Beat cream in the chilled glass bowl until it thickens. Gradually add sugar and then vanilla and one or two drops of coloring gel. Add the melted gelatin and beat to stiff peaks.

Lightly fold whipped cream into pudding mixture, you want them to remain relatively separate.

Because this was such a weird recipe, I kept the servings small to encourage people to try it.  I used clear 1oz glasses, with mini plastic spoons. Some people get really excited about mini spoons. Just saying...

*I don't have a double boiler.  I keep saying I don't need one, limited kitchen storage, and then I keep doing these recipes that call for one.  So here's my two part double boiler tapioca hack: 

Even though I don't have a double boiler, I do have a small crock pot. Maybe I should get rid of the crock pot I don't use and get a double boiler, but that would make too much sense. It's so small it doesn't even have an on/off temperature control knob, it just plugs in.  The reason I used a crock pot is because the large tapioca needs to cook at a low temp for an hour and I felt I would be less likely to screw things up this way. So the crock pot is great for keeping things at a nice low temp, but first everything needs to be properly heated up. 

Actually first I needed to figure out how much water I needed in the crock pot.  I started with a cup, set my glass bowl on top and then I wiped up the overflow. I really didn't think a cup would be too much, glad I thought to test this first and not when I was working with hot water.  I dumped out a little more so the water wouldn't be touching the bowl and transferred the water to a microwave safe cup.

To heat the ingredients, I started out with a pan of water on the stove, using the same glass bowl over it, which is Pyrex by the way. Once the small bubbles started to appear, I microwaved the crock pot water to boiling. 

I poured the boiling water into the crock pot, set the glass bowl of tapioca on top and covered it.  The crock pot lid fit the bowl also, but any heat safe lid would do.  I stirred a couple of times, otherwise I left it alone for an hour and it was perfect. 

Pomegranate Pie Brains

Tiffany as she is called by her loyal subjects.

In the beginning two young ladies forged the Pomegranate Princess from the ashes of humanity, or maybe it was scraps from the craft bin. Anyway, it was decreed that there would be a great feast of pomegranate pie to celebrate her arrival. But alas, in all the kingdoms, in all the worlds, in all the search engines there was nary a recipe to be found. So the wise old witch, who didn't eat children because she was a vegetarian, promised the fair maidens there would be pie. And with a gnashing of her terrible teeth and rolling of her terrible eyes, she toiled and troubled over her bubbling cauldron and there was pie and the pie was good. On the seventh day, or maybe it was just the next day, everyone in the land of the Pomegranate Princess rested and ate leftover pie.
     

Only picture in existence of elusive Pom Brain Pie.


In honor of these two ladies and their penchant for everything pomegranate I took things one step further and used the recipe to make individual brain pies for the annual Halloween craft party. I suppose any juice could be substituted if you are not a pomegranate fanatic.

The pomegranate pie is a compilation of slightly modified recipes.  The  ganache and graham cracker crust recipes from JoyOfBaking.com and the POM Panna Cotta recipe from SimplyWonderful.com. This recipe for brains is the same as the original 9 inch pomegranate pie, just divided into individual hungry zombie sized portions.  Broken up into individual servings it comes out to 18 brains and 12 mini pie crusts.  Like hot dogs and buns. You could make just 12 brains and use the leftover in a large brain mold.  I'm lazy when it comes to fussing with food, so after 12 I'm done. You could try to make 18 thinner crusts, but I think they would be hard to work with, so I've noted the quantities needed to make 18 mini crusts in parenthesis.

I used the Wilton Brain and Eye Cookie Candy mold.  I do believe Wilton is finally grasping the insurmountable need for brains because I did see a mold at Michaels that was just brains. It was just the one, sitting all by its lonesome, but I swear I saw it. I can't find any proof online to back me up, but I'm not going crazy, I know what I saw.

 

 

Pomegranate Pie Brains

9 inch pie Crust or 12 individual crusts:
3.5 Belvita Golden Oat packs (14 biscuits) crushed*
5 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

* Can substitute 1.5 cups of graham crackers crumbs, but I think they taste like cardboard.

(for 18 mini crusts: 21 Belvita Golden Oat biscuits or 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 7 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar)

Ganache:
2 oz chocolate, chopped
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 Tablespoon butter

(for 18 mini crusts: 3 oz chocolate, 4 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream, 3/4 tablespoon butter)

Pie Filling:
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup heavy cream, divided
½ granulated sugar
1 envelope gelatin
Cooking spray (I prefer coconut oil spray)

Optional: pomegranate arils for garnish

Individual Pie Crusts:
Butter a muffin pan or use cupcake liners. In a large bowl, mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Divide the mixture between each muffin cup, approximately one heaping tablespoon, and press down onto the bottom of the tin. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. 

Ganache:
In a small glass bowl microwave the butter just until melted 10-15 seconds. Add the chocolate and cream and microwave until the cream is heated about 20 seconds. Gently stir until smooth.

Divide equally into each muffin cup, approximately 1/2 tablespoon and spread to completely cover the cracker crust. Freeze until set and then remove from pan. These can be made ahead of time, just wrap and freeze.

Pie Filling:
Chill a glass bowl and whisk beater in the freezer in preparation for whipping cream. Spray molds with cooking spray.

Bloom gelatin in 2.5 tablespoons of cold water in a small container. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring ½ cup cream and sugar to a scald over medium low heat, then remove from heat. Once the gelatin has absorbed the water, melt it in the microwave, approximately 20 seconds. Whisk melted gelatin into the cream making sure it is completely dissolved.

Transfer the cream mixture into a large bowl. Chill the bowl in an ice bath or the refrigerator, stirring gently every five minutes until the cream is cool to the touch.

Add the cold pomegranate juice to the gelatin mixture and stir until completely homogeneous.

Whip the additional ½ cup cream until it holds peaks, fold into the pomegranate mixture. Spoon into molds and refrigerate.


To assemble: If you froze the crusts allow them to thaw in the refrigerator. Do not assemble until right before serving. If you used cupcake liners remove them, and lay out the crusts. To release the molds I use a thin paring knife to lift up a small section of the edge. I find this is enough to get it to release nicely. You could use the method of setting the mold in hot water for a few seconds, but I never have luck with that. Lay a brain on each crust and serve. 

Craft Party 2015

Every year I hold a creepy craft party early in October. I always fail to get photos of everything, but I did capture quite a few creations this year. 

I think we have some of the most unique and glamorous voodoo dolls.  A little sass and a lot of style, much like their creators.

The plan was to make some glass eyes and this is what I love about these parties, folks deviated from the plan. I had thrown some catalogs with Halloween stuff in with the potion bottle labels, thinking some of the pictures might look cool on a bottle.  I never thought to use them with the flat marbles, but here we are. From striped candy to skulls, it's interesting how a bubble of glass adds so much depth.   The animal eyes are from orestesgraphics.com.  I can't remember where the human eyes are from but this tutorial has a nice one to use or just search on "iris texture"

 

We went through a lot of bottles this year.  The kids always like making really gross potions.  Some of the stuff is Halloween novelties I picked up on clearance the year before, some of it is just old stuff I cleaned out of the pantry. I'm always sickened and delighted with their disgusting concoctions. 

I remember as kids how we used to make "witches brew" in the bathroom sink, mixing a little bit of everything we could get our hands on. A lot of it was benign like shaving cream and toothpaste, but we mixed in all sorts of cleaning products too.  I can't believe we didn't gas ourselves.  It might be possible we were smart enough not to mix in anything with a Mr. Yuk sticker, more likely we were just lucky. These jars are a lot nastier looking than anything we ever made, but probably a lot safer.  I say probably because I think at some point organic material fermenting in a closed container becomes a bomb, especially the ones that contain dried beans.  We don't keep those around very long.

On the far left is a galaxy bottle.  I love the pumpkin puke. Pumpkin guts are my husband's kryptonite, just the smell is enough to make him gag.  I don't think whoever made this knows that, but that's what it made me think of.  The label on the right is from spookshows.com. 

 

 

 I admire the usage of our eye craft on the bottles below, the earthworm tie cracks me up.   

 

 

The bottle on the left contains among other stuff large pearl tapioca and soba noodles which both look pretty repulsive, I highly recommend them. What is that awesome looking black substance on the middle bottle you ask? I made some galaxy slime (liquid starch & glue), in black, purple and plain white.  After sitting in a container for a few days it all turned black or maybe the black slime ate the other colors.  Remember Stephen King's "The Raft"?  I made the slime to go in the bottles, but you can't trust kids to use things for their intended purpose.  Which is great, because it turns out it's pretty awesome on the bottles too.  That's a plastic ant on the lid and the then the slime was laid over the top and it oozed down the sides a bit before hardening.  Genius.

 

 

These lovely concoctions contain various combinations of Spanish moss, slime, noodles, tapioca and rubber worms.  That bottom one got me.  The worm was lurking beneath the surface and jumped up when I moved the jar. 

  

These were left behind and no has claimed them so I tried copying the ant jar. The bat and skull were cut off plastic rings.  I hot glued them on, and some moss to the top of the jar in the back and topped them off with slime. Next time I'll leave the glitter out of the slime, I thought it detracted from the overall effect. 

   

The adults were more into making jar lanterns this year. Here's the tutorial that we more or less followed, they have silhouettes you can download.  The cat and zombie are from Dave Lowe, the owl is from pixabay.com, the pumpkins are from free-illustrations.gatag.net and the tree is from Viktoria Lyn.

We've been doing glitter bottles the last couple of years. They're so pretty and sparkly and mesmerizing...Anyway we did some of those, but we did some new stuff too.  

 

We made galaxy jars which consist of layering colored water and cotton balls, with a few sprinklings of glitter. I had no idea we'd go through so many cotton balls and we used small bottles. For these and the glitter jars, those single serve plastic wine bottles are great.  The big bag of cotton balls I bought was not even close to being enough.  My neighbor went home and got hers and another friend that was coming later picked up a few bags on the way. We easily went through 600+ cotton balls. Another thing to keep in mind, they don't stay pretty forever, even if you really pack in the cotton balls the colors still muddy together. We do have one bottle that still looks good, but I think it was made with the glitter glue solution.  It warrants further experimentation. There are so many tutorials out there for this but I like this one and I'm intrigued about the diaper method, maybe next year.  One last note I picked up an 18 pack of Wilton squeeze bottles, with a craft store coupon you can't beat the price and they work great for both the glitter glue solutions and colored water.

In my search for galaxy jars I found this tutorial which mixes baby oil with colored water.  I wasn't too keen on using baby oil, even if it does smell like freshly squeezed babies. And I definitely wasn't crazy about the idea of cleaning up an oil slick in the house if things went wrong.  Then there's the issue of poor labeling.  Maybe it's just me, but how do you even tell if they used free range babies? Were they organically breast fed? Cold pressed? Is it even a 100% baby oil? I don't know, I just bought the cheapest bottle and hoped for the best. I used a Wilton squeeze bottle for the baby oil too for ease of use. And then it happened again, unscripted creativity...

...someone added glitter and it is the coolest thing ever! The glitter sticks to the baby oil. It reminds me of mercury the way it moves, or the terminator from T2. The finer the glitter, the cooler the effect. FYI, the far left bottle contains a jelly fish.

Below is a bottle I did with contrasting colors.  I think red glitter would look even better, like alien blood or black water with silver mica powder. 

 

 

A few other things, pine cone spider, avocado head, and

 

 

steampunk foam bats.

 

And here are a few of the dishes people brought

 

 

 

I made the obligatory rat and eyeballs.  I tried a few new recipes, some were gruesome flops, some semi-flops and a couple that turned out as expected.  I'll post recipes for the good ones like Alien Fish Eggs later.  

 

So that's what we did.  Thanks to everyone who helped make this another successful year.