A devilish good use for Halloween candy

Recently Kimberly Daniels, writing on Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network website, warned that Halloween candy is demonic.

"Most of the candy sold during this season has been dedicated and prayed over by witches," she maintained.

Now I know why I always pilfered candy from my children's Halloween bags, just like 90 percent of parents, according to surveys. The devil made me do it.

The truth is, I have only myself to blame. Even without satanic intervention it's hard to resist Halloween candy. Indeed, as Halloween approaches, many of us must go out and buy more treats because we've already eaten the stuff we stocked up on beforehand.

And when it comes to Halloween treats, the candy bar reigns supreme. Trick-or-treaters won't turn down an apple or a popcorn ball, but what they really want is a Snickers, an Almond Joy, a Hershey bar or something similar.

Chopped candy bars are the main ingredient in Candy Bar Cake, a tour de force for Halloween. (TOM HARTE)

The person we have to thank for the invention of the premiere Halloween treat was not named Nestle, Hershey or Cadbury as you might have thought. It was, rather, an English chocolatier named Joseph Fry. He concocted a chocolate paste that could be molded, resulting in the first candy bar.

This development took place in 1847, not that long ago when you consider that chocolate had been around for hundreds of years before that, having been "discovered" in Mexico by the Spanish. But before Fry came up with his new technique, nobody had thought much about eating chocolate. It was principally used for drinking. Thanks to Fry, that would all change.

A couple of years later John Cadbury, whose company would ultimately buy out Fry, got into the act with his own brand of chocolate bar. Then, toward the end of the 19th century, Henry Nestle and Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate and the stage was sent for the ascent of the candy bar.

But it wasn't until the early 20th century that the candy bar came into its own. In 1900, Milton Hershey, after being introduced to chocolate-making machinery at the Chicago World's Fair a few years earlier, put out his now famous milk chocolate bar.

A few years later another chocolate titan, Frank Mars, started his own company, inventing the Milky Way in 1923, the same year that saw the invention of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and the Butterfinger, which, incidentally, actually was named for a klutz. In 1930 he launched the Snickers Bar, the most popular candy bar of all time. It was named after Mars' favorite horse.

Since then thousands of new brands have appeared, but, as every Halloween night confirms, the irresistible appeal of the candy bar has not changed -- only its price.

Candy Bar Cake

Calling for nearly 50 fun size candy bars, this recipe will make short work of any Halloween leftovers you may have. The recipe is adapted from an Adriana Trigiani novel.

10 fun-size Milky Way bars

10 fun-size Three Musketeers bars

10 fun-size Snickers bars

1 1/2 sticks butter, divided

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

40 to 45 marshmallows

15 fun-size Almond Joy bars

1 pound powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

3/4 cup cream

Cut Milky Way, Three Musketeers and Snickers bars into small pieces and melt together with 1 stick of the butter, stirring to combine. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Mix in shortening and eggs and beat well. Slowly add buttermilk, beating until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and candy bar mixture. Pour into greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan and bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until cake tests done. While cake is still warm, cut marshmallows in half and place over top of cake. Cut Almond Joy bars into small pieces and scatter over top of marshmallows. Beat together powdered sugar, cocoa, cream and remaining 1/2 stick butter until smooth. Spread over cake.

Tom Harte's book, "Stirring Words," is available at local bookstores. A Harte Appetite airs Fridays 8:49 a.m. on KRCU, 90.9 FM. Contact Tom at news@semissourian.com or at the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699.