Before we begin, steps 1-5 can be rather messy so you may wish to cover your surfaces with a plastic sheet or a newspaper to protect it. Cut long strips of board approximately 3-4 inches wide. The strips will need to be long enough to go all the way around the edge of the pumpkin shape.

It’s now time to decorate your shell using the orange crepe paper. Cut the crepe paper into manageable pieces and layer across your shell using glue. Make sure you carefully cover the opening that you used to add the sweets and glue down onto your shell.Spoon half the mixture into your well-greased tin, pushing the mixture out to the sides so it doesn’t peak too much in the middle during baking. Paper-mache is simply made by reducing paper down to a pulp. The more popular method of making paper-mache is by soaking paper strips overnight in plenty of water. Smile Mercantile shows us how to form the pumpkin and how to outline its eyes and mouth with a step-by-step guide. 13. Halloween Paper-Mache Pumpkin Idea Photo credit: Stolloween This paper-mache pumpkin is one of my favorites on the list. Not only does My Humble Home And Garden provide an incredibly well-written guide on how to make the pumpkin you see above, but the first half of their post has a dedicated guide on how to make quality paper-mache at home.

Also cut a small strip about 2 inches wide to make the stalk of the pumpkin (or you could pre-cut the shape make it part of the initial pumpkin. Step 4:Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease a 2.5 litre capacity bundt tin with butter, then dust with cocoa, and shake off the excess. My pie crust recipe makes enough for two crusts. So with the extra dough, you can make adorable leaves for decoration on your pumpkin pie. Or any pie, really. I’ve seen the pie crust leaves baked directly on top of the rim of the pie—and I tried that—but was not thrilled with the results. Too much uneven baking. The underside of the leaves weren’t really cooked through and the tops got a little burnt (even through my pie shield). So, to make things easier, just bake the pie crust leaves separately and place them on top of your pie before serving. You can also sprinkle them with a little cinnamon-sugar right before baking. I was going to do that, but I forgot.

Next, I cut newspaper into long strips, about 1-2 inches wide, by 6-8 inches long. I used the entire edition of the Sunday paper. Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin is best in this pumpkin pie recipe. I use and recommend Libby’s brand. If using fresh pumpkin puree, lightly blot it before adding to remove some moisture. The bake time may be longer. Top tip: we’ve found that standing the balloon in a clean flower pot or a large mug is best for allowing the balloon to dry without making a mess. Each layer MUST be dry, before applying the next layer of Papier-mâché. I let a day lapse between each application.

Once your shell is dry you can tip it upside down and add your sweets to the opening you left at the bottom.

The decorated cake can be made up to a day ahead. Make the sponges up to 2 days in advance; store in an airtight container. The uniced sponges can also be frozen. You can create the design your kids want or choose any of the designs from My Paper Crane. They also have an elaborate step-by-step written tutorial, so don’t miss out on this one! 10. Paper-Mache Pumpkin Head Halloween Costume Photo credit: Instructables If you’re celebrating your child’s birthday in October, then you should definitely make this paper-mache pumpkin piñata from eHow. Easier to get the exact shape you want for your pinata. Just blow up various balloons and tape them together. If garnishing with sugared cranberries, make those first: If you want to decorate the pie with sugared cranberries, start them the night before because they need to sit for several hours. Place cranberries in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and 3/4 cup (150g) of sugar to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries from the sugar syrup and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry, uncovered, for 1 hour. Pour remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar into a large bowl. Toss the cranberries in the sugar, coating them all the way around. Place on a parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For more uses, see how to make sugared cranberries.Using a veining tool or a bamboo skewer create the grooves in the fondant to give your pumpkin its definition. Be careful not to press too hard or you might tear the fondant.