Black Licorice Chocolate Spiders

Black licorice chocolate spiders are the kind of Halloween craft-meets-candy project that turns into a kitchen-table afternoon. Just two ingredients: black licorice cut into legs and melted milk chocolate for the bodies. Kids can do most of the work themselves.

The trick is in the leg arrangement. Cut the licorice into inch-and-a-half pieces, then slice each one lengthwise so they lie flat. Lay four on each side of a waxed paper sheet, drop a teaspoon of melted chocolate in the middle, and use a toothpick to coax it into a uniform round body that grips all eight legs.

Let them set fully before peeling off the paper. They make brilliant cupcake toppers, lunchbox surprises, or the centerpiece of a Halloween dessert plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Melt the chocolate slowly in a double boiler or short microwave bursts (15 seconds, stir, repeat). Overheated chocolate seizes into a clumpy mess that won’t pour smooth.
• Work fast once the chocolate is melted. As it cools, it gets harder to smooth into round bodies. Reheat gently if it starts to firm up before you’re done.
• Press the legs lightly into the wet chocolate so they grip when it sets. Just laying them next to the body means they’ll fall off.
• Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. Stacking them squashes the bodies and breaks the legs.

Variations

• Use red Twizzlers instead of black licorice for a brighter, kid-friendlier spider.
• Add two tiny candy eyes (or small white sprinkles) to each spider’s body before the chocolate sets.
• Use white chocolate dyed orange or green for spookier color combinations on a Halloween dessert tray.