Graveyard Parfaits with Tombstone Sugar Cookies and Gummy Body Parts

Can you believe Halloween is less than two weeks away?! Man this month has flown by! I have always been a HUGE fan of fall and Halloween festivities, I am a die hard 13 Nights of Halloween watcher, pumpkin carver, and costume wearer. These pictures are from a couple of years ago, my friends decided on a Vampire theme, I put this dessert together at the last minute because I happen to have some left over chocolate cake from a previous baking spree and it ended up being a big hit at our party! you could easily take some major shortcuts on this recipe (i.e. use instant chocolate pudding, chocolate cake mix, and cool whip) but I guarantee you it will NOT taste as divine as this homemade chocolate mousse. It is rich without being too heavy on the palette and it goes really well with the layers of moist chocolate cake. I do not know how I am going to top this dessert this year, any ideas?

Graveyard Parfaits with Tombstone Sugar Cookies and Gummy Body Parts

What you'll need:
-crushed Oreos for layers and "dirt"
-chocolate pudding
-chocolate cake, cubed
-gummy body part candy (I found mine at Walgreens)
-sugar cookie recipe
-black icing for decorating cookies (mine was store bought, shhhh)
-clear plastic cups

For the sugar cookie recipe, click HERE

Chocolate mousse

Recipe from Alton Brown
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
12 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 ounces espresso or strong coffee
1 TBS dark rum
4 TBS butter
1 tsp flavorless, granulated gelatin

Directions:

1.Chill 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer, this will allow the mousse to whip up properly.

2.In top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, coffee, rum and butter. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while a couple of chunks are still visible. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature.

3.Pour remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream into a metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to "bloom" for 10 minutes. Then carefully heat by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame or candle. Do not boil or gelatin will be damaged. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.

4.In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse.

Chocolate sheet cake

You could always use a cake mix if you would like, but this cake recipe is delicious.

2/3 cup butter, softened
1-2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups milk

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating until smooth after each addition.

3.Pour batter into a greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on a wire rack. When cake is cool, cut into small cubes.

To Assemble:

Start with a layer of mousse followed by crushed Oreos, then cubed cake. Repeat and end with the crushed cookies. Top with cookie and gummy candy.