These Mini Caramel Meringue Ghost Tarts are almost too cute to eat! A Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll creates an easy pumpkin base that’s topped with caramel, rich chocolate filling, and fluffy homemade meringue ghosts. Add a few chocolate faces and you’ve got a spooky little dessert that’s perfect for Halloween parties.
Halloween desserts are some of my favorites to make because you can have so much fun with them. Nothing has to look too perfect, and sometimes the desserts with a little personality are the ones everyone remembers.
These little ghost tarts definitely have personality!
I wanted to create something that looked impressive on a Halloween dessert table without requiring a complicated homemade tart crust. Instead, I used a Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll to create the base. From there, each little tart gets layers of caramel and chocolate before being topped with a fluffy meringue ghost.
My favorite part is adding the faces. Give every ghost a different expression, make some surprised and some spooky, or let the kids help create their own. There’s really no wrong way to make a ghost!
More Halloween Dessert Recipes
Halloween Pumpkin Cake Pops
If you want to sweeten up the spookiest night of the year, these delightful, easy-to-make Halloween Pumpkin Cake Pops are exactly what you need. Made with a Pumpkin Cake Roll and cream cheese frosting to give them a pop of fall flavor, just add the orange coating and draw on their signature faces for a traditional Halloween look.
Candy Corn Fault Line Cake Roll
Combining the vibrant colors from everyone’s favorite holiday candy with the fault line cake decorating style, this is the perfect dessert to bring to all your upcoming spooktacular events. With layers of creamy buttercream, sprinkles, and a touch of edible gold, this cake roll will be the centerpiece of your Halloween spread.
Mini Monster Cake Rolls
Do you want to add a touch of spookiness to your Halloween sweets this year? Ghosts and ghouls of every age will shriek in delight when they see this series of Mini Monster Cake Rolls. Each one is filled with rich, decadent chocolate cake and a vanilla-flavored crème filling that’s sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
What You’ll Need
- Standard muffin tin
- 6 cupcake liners
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Small saucepan
- Heat-safe bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Piping bags
- Large round piping tip
- Candy thermometer
- Small spoon
Storage Information
The tart bases can be assembled with the caramel and chocolate filling and stored covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
For the best appearance and texture, I recommend making the meringue and decorating the ghosts shortly before serving. Once assembled, keep the tarts refrigerated until you’re ready to enjoy them.
If you’re making these for a Halloween party, prepare the chocolate and caramel portions ahead of time, then make and pipe the ghosts on the day of your gathering.
Tips for Making Mini Caramel Meringue Ghost Tarts
- Chill between layers. Giving the caramel time to chill before adding the chocolate helps create more distinct layers.
- Keep your meringue bowl clean. Any grease or residue in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
- Use a large round piping tip. This makes it much easier to create that tall, rounded ghost shape.
- Make each ghost different. Don’t worry about getting identical shapes. A little variation gives them personality.
- Add the faces last. Let the meringue settle before adding chocolate eyes and mouths.
- Prepare ahead when you can. Make the tart portion in advance and save the meringue for shortly before serving.
How to Make Mini Caramel Meringue Ghost Tarts
Mini Caramel Meringue Ghost Tarts
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Moderate6
servings475
kcal8
These Mini Caramel Meringue Ghost Tarts are almost too cute to eat! A Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll creates an easy pumpkin base that’s topped with caramel, rich chocolate filling, and fluffy homemade meringue ghosts. Add a few chocolate faces and you’ve got a spooky little dessert that’s perfect for Halloween parties.
Ingredients
- For the Chocolate Cake Bases:
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll
- For the Caramel Layer:
6 tablespoons caramel sauce
- For the Chocolate Filling:
3 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- For the Meringue Ghosts:
2 large egg whites, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- For Decorating:
1 ounce semi-sweet or dark chocolate, melted
Directions
- Prepare the Cake Bases
- Allow the Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll to thaw according to the package directions.
- Carefully unroll the cake roll and remove the cream cheese filling.
- Cut the pumpkin cake into pieces and gently press them into the bottoms and slightly up the sides of 6 lined muffin cups to create small tart shells.
- Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator while you prepare the caramel and chocolate layers.
- Add the Caramel
- Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce into each pumpkin cake base.
- Spread the caramel into an even layer.
- Place the muffin tin back into the refrigerator while you prepare the chocolate filling.
- Make the Chocolate Filling
- Place the chopped chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a heat-safe bowl.
- Set the bowl over a small saucepan containing gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Spoon the chocolate filling over the caramel layer in each tart.
- Return the tarts to the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes, or until the layers have set.
- Make the Meringue Ghosts
- Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a clean, dry mixing bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks begin to form.
- Gradually add the granulated sugar, a little at a time, while continuing to beat.
- Continue whipping until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip.
- Create the Ghosts
- Remove the chilled tarts from the refrigerator.
- Pipe a tall swirl or bulb of meringue onto the center of each tart, allowing the meringue to taper slightly toward the top to create a ghost shape.
- Melt the remaining chocolate and transfer it to a small piping bag.
- Snip a very small opening in the end of the bag.
- Carefully pipe two eyes and a mouth onto each meringue ghost.
- Give each ghost its own expression for a little extra Halloween fun.
- Keep chilled until ready to serve.
- Display, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage Instructions: The tart bases can be assembled with the caramel and chocolate filling and stored covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Special Tools: Standard muffin tin, 6 cupcake liners, electric hand mixer or stand mixer, mixing bowls, small saucepan, heat-safe bowl, rubber spatula, piping bags, large round piping tip, candy thermometer, and a small spoon.
- Make the Ghosts Unique: Make each ghost different. Don’t worry about getting identical shapes. A little variation gives them personality.
- Don’t Skip the Chilling Time: Chill between layers. Giving the caramel time to chill before adding the chocolate helps create more distinct layers.
- Use a Clean Bowl for Meringue: Keep your meringue bowl clean. Any grease or residue in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact Dutch Apron® Bakery Pumpkin Cake Roll nutrition, brands of ingredients used, and serving size.
About the Author:
Brand Wind is a graphic designer at Dutch Apron® Bakery where he creates a wide variety of materials pertaining to a variety of delicious desserts; his portfolio includes social media promotions, motion graphics, and, occasionally, lending an (actual) hand to make sure each recipe turns out just right. Brandon lives in Iowa with his wife and three children and enjoys creating his own comic books, playing guitar with his band, and going on whatever adventure his wife has planned for the weekend. He strives to be a constant reminder to his kids that, no matter how old you get, you can still be young at heart!
