Get your slime on this Halloween with these easy but spooky recipes you can make from the comfort of your own home. If you really want to celebrate in style then this slime soup is definitely worth your time. Don't have a dessert? Just add green food colouring to some Gookie Dough and you've got some creepy cookies too! Not only is this soup in the Halloween spirit but it also contains delicious veggies.

(Image credit: Morrisons) 

You will need:

500g of frozen peas

One spring onion

750ml of boiling water 

Vegetable stock concentrate to taste or as a stock cube 

One ball of mozzarella

Method 

Firstly, cook the frozen peas and spring onion in the boiling water with the stock until tender and cooked through. Remove and get rid of the spring onion once the peas are soft enough to be blitzed into a soup. 

Chop up your mozzarella roughly and pop it into the blender. Blend n three batches, pouring the vile green and slimy soup into the pan and heating gently to melt the cheese and peas better together. 

The stringiness of the cheese and the yucky snot colour of the veggies make this a simple but spooky dish which is perfect for your witches and wizards. The soup should make up to one litre which is enough for the kids and you, depending on how many sweets you've already gotten through! Just remember your Gookie Dough dessert. *Adapted from Nigella.com* 

If you haven't watched Great British Bake Off (GBBO) then where have you been? Mary Berry is the queen of cakes and we love her like she was our own Grandma. Now, she has given her top tips when it comes to baking so we better listen closely. Here they are!

(Image credit: Kuulpeeps) 

Using the right cake tin 

Different cakes require different tins and it's easy to just disregard this step. Just because you have an expensive tin or one that's nearly the same size, doesn't mean it's right for the recipe. Don't start something until you have all of the correct equipment. 

High-fat content 

A high-fat content is essential in the butter you choose. Mary Berry suggests over 75% (sorry health nuts). Lower fat kinds of butter have a higher water content which means your mixture isn't top notch. 

Baking powder measurements 

Baking powder is a great ingredient and is in pretty much every cake recipe. You probably think that adding a little extra of the innocent powder will be fine and will have no impact. However, if you add too much then the cake will rise and fall quickly and will dry out fast. 

(Image credit: The Happy Foodie) 

Weighing ingredients 

So many recipes end up as a disaster just because the wrong measurements were used. Sometimes even being a little bit over or under can have a major effect on flavour and consistency. Concentrate when weighing and use accurate scales. This is why here at Gookie Dough, the hard work is done for you already!  

Perfecting your icing 

To create a thick layer of icing, brush the cake mixture with a jam coating first. This seals the cake and acts as a base for the icing to be added. This means an even layer that doesn't have excess crumbs lurking!

The toothpick/skewer trick 

This trick is great to see if a cake is baked thoroughly. However, if the cake is not a golden colour, it's not ready at all so don't even bother testing. First of all, check the colour, if the cake pushes down and springs back if you pop your finger on top of it then it's ready. If not, keep it baking, baby! 

So, the queen has spoken! Any other tips to add to the mix? Let us know in the comments below. *Tips from BBC Good Food via Mary Berry* 

Generations today lack knowledge when it comes to cooking. Recent information that has surfaced the media is the fact that they are now selling scrambled egg in a packet which is frozen. Sounds disgusting and if you're incapable of cracking an egg and whisking it then there is definitely something wrong. To restore faith in the generation, here are cooking tips that EVERYONE should know! 

Scrambled egg 

(Image credit: inspiredtaste.net) 

We may as well kick off with this one seeing as we've touched the surface. Whether you make scrambled egg in the microwave or a pan, it's important that to make them extra creamy, you need to stir them constantly while they're on the pan. This breaks up pockets of egg for a restaurant-style creamy scramble. 

Allow meat to rest 

You've just cooked a banging bit of steak, you're starving and ready to dig in. Not so fast, speedy! When taking meat fresh off the grill, it will spill out all of the juices which contain the flavour. If you let it rest for 5-10 minutes, it'll lock in all the goodness. 

Salt pasta water 

You may have seen your Mum always do this but never knew why. By popping some salt in your pasta water, it allows the pasta to taste better because it helps bring out the flavour of the pasta sauce. Ooh, fancy! 

Freshen up cookies 

(Image credit: Martha Stewart) 

This may be a good one for Gookie Dough cookies. Apparently, if you want to freshen up stale cookies, you should place a piece of bread in the cookie container (lol what?). The cookies soak up the bread's moisture. Are you as confused as we are? 

Bacon and flour 

If you're cooking baking, you're going to be a victim of the grease splatters that attack you and stain your favourite shirt. If you sprinkle flour on your bacon while it is cooking, it'll reduce the amount it spits and will also make the bacon extra crispy. Who even thinks of these hacks? 

Clumps of butter in the mixture  

(Image credit: shorecakesupply.com) 

We've all made a dough and the butter won't cooperate. There's no chance it will calm down and mix in thoroughly and it can impact the end result. A pro tip is to use a cheese grater to get these mini chunks of butter!

Any more pro cooking tips that are simple yet revolutionary? Let us know in the comments below! *Facts adapted from Buzzfeed Food* 

For those of you who like a challenge, or you guys who are a more dedicated baker. We have a tough one for you today which takes pure concentration and dedication but the results are SOOOO worth it! Hello, billionaire cookie dough cake, you look delightful. 

You will need: 

(for the cake) 

360g of all purpose flour 

Two teaspoons of baking powder 

Half a teaspoon of kosher salt 

225g of salted butter 

400g of granulated sugar 

Three tablespoons of vegetable oil 

Four large eggs 

One tablespoon of vanilla extract 

250ml of whole milk 

(for the caramel sauce)

250g of granulated sugar 

Two tablespoons of water 

Seven tablespoons of butter 

120ml of heavy cream 

(for the shortbread crumbs)

180g of all purpose flour 

Two tablespoons of granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 

125ml of melted butter 

(for the cookie dough) 

Two monster tubs of Gookie Dough in original flavour 

(chocolate meringue buttercream) 

Three large egg whites 

200g of granulated sugar 

225g of salted butter at room temperature 

115g of chocolate chips, melted 

(chocolate ganache) 

150g of chopped dark chocolate chips

80ml of heavy cream 

Directions 

Firstly, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Coat three 8 inch or two 9 inch round cake tins with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Coat the sides of the tin with cooking spray too. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. 

In a bowl of a stand mixer which is fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together. Then add the oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and add one-third of the flour, followed by half of the milk. Repeat until all is in the bowl and mix thoroughly. Divide the cake batter equally between the cake tins. Pop into the oven for 25/30 minutes until the centres are set, allow the cakes to cool for five minutes and then put them onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Caramel sauce time! In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to stir. Ensure all the sugar dissolves and boil until the mixture reaches 180 degrees. Then add the butter and stir until melted, slowly add the cream and mix until combined. Allow the mixture to boil for an additional two minutes, watching closely and then remove from the heat immediately. 

For the shortbread crumbs, simply preheat the oven again to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt, stir in the melted butter until combined. Form the mixture into crumbs and spread on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cooling completely. 

Pop your Gookie Dough into a bowl and empty both tubs, allow to warm slightly at room temperature to allow it to spread easily. Leave aside. 

For the meringue buttercream, you need to take a heatproof bowl and whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar. Pop the bowl over a small saucepan with simmering water. Whisk the egg whites constantly (about 4-5 minutes). Straight away, move the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites for 10 minutes until glossy and cooled and stiff peaks begin to form. Add the butter and continue mixing. Stir in the melted chocolate until incorporated. 

To assemble the cake, spread the Gookie Dough on the tops of two of the cake layers. Next, spread/pour the caramel sauce on top of the cookie dough. Pop the cake in the fridge for 10 minutes so the caramel sets. 

Afterwards, place one of the caramel-topped layers on a plate and top with the other caramel topped layer. Next, top this with the remaining plain layer of cake. Cover the entire cake with the meringue buttercream. 

For the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate in a medium bowl and in a small saucepan, heat the cream over a medium heat until it starts to steam. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is all melted. Cool for 10/15 minutes until the chocolate has thickened. Spread the ganache on the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the side. Decorate the cake with shortbread crumbs. *Recipe AND images from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen* 

Complicated enough? But the images speak volumes and the cake is calling your name! 

So, you're stood in IKEA and there is a bunch of spatulas in front of you. Do you need them all? Just one? Why are there wooden and plastic spoons? The questions are endless. Welcome to baking equipment 101, where us at Gookie Dough tell you the ins and outs of utensils. 

(Image credit: Mason Cash) 

Thermometers 

No oven is the same, it's annoying but true. The first rule of baking is to ensure that the temperature is just right because this means the end result will be perfect. Oven thermometers are designed to stand or hang on an oven rack. Since the temperature inside an oven can vary from one place to another, the position of the thermometer on the oven rack is important. It's usually recommended to keep the thermometer right next to the baking tray for the most accurate reading. 

Then, there are candy thermometers. These are used to test the temperature during the cooking of jams, jellies and candies. It has an adjustable clip so it can rest against the side of a large pan. 

Spatulas 

Spatulas are used for a variety of things such as lifting and turning goods or even spreading fillings and frostings. There is the straight edge spatula, the pancake turner and the rubber spatula. 

The straight edge spatula is like a knife but doesn't have a sharp edge. It is used for spreading frostings and can be used when measuring ingredients to level off or remove excess from a measuring cup. 

The pancake turner is wide at the base which picks up the food and is used to remove baked goods from baking trays such as your Gookie Dough cookies. The sharp edge cuts the cookie from the sheet. 

The rubber spatula has a wooden or plastic handle with a flexible rubber paddle. It is great for scraping excess batter off the sides of a bowl.

Liners 

(Image credit: Pop Sugar) 

You've spent a lifetime lining trays and pans but did you know there are different types and when to use a certain one? Liners are great for transferring and are a godsend when it comes to non-stick. 

Parchment paper is a heavy grease and moisture resistant paper, it's great for cookies, pizzas and cakes. Extremely versatile. Wax paper is semitransparent paper with a coating of wax on both sides. It is good for covering food and lining baking pans. 

Tin foil is an amazing barrier to moisture, air and odours and can withstand heat and cold. It can come in regular weight for wrapping food and heavy duty which is perfect for freezer storage and lining grills. 

Cheesecloth, probably the least known. A lightweight and natural cotton cloth that doesn't fall apart when wet. It can strain liquids, form a packet for herbs that can be popped into soups and can come in fine and coarse weaves. 

They say you should learn something new every day. So, what have you learnt? Just call us professor Gookie!