Chocolate Red Back Spiders and…A Disappointment

You’ve all heard me say that Alfie asks a lot of questions.  I do tire of his questions and often say, ‘That’s your quota; no more questions until tomorrow’.  Because although I love how he has a thirst for knowledge, sometimes I just need a rest from the brain strain that’s caused by a barrage of questions.

Red back spiders - perfect for Halloween

Red back spiders – perfect for Halloween

One day last week I picked Alfie up from school and on the way home, question-time set in.  He asked me, ‘What’s the difference between DNA and genes?’


I had no idea.  ‘Oh…you’ll have to google that’.

But undeterred he kept going.  ‘Do you study atoms in biology, chemistry or physics?’

Absolutely no clue.  ‘Uhm, I’m not sure.  Your teachers at school could probably tell you’.

‘Why does a spectrum have all the colours of the rainbow?’

Seriously?  ‘Oh, that’s a good question.  I’m not sure but a spectrum is very pretty.  I’m sure you can find the answer on google’.

And Alfie looked all sad.  He sighed and said, ‘I wish I had parents who were really smart and who knew things’.

So there you have it.  Our eight-year old sees us as a disappointment.

Except when it comes to these spiders.  I made them for a Halloween party I was invited to.  While I was disappointed that I couldn’t get the body and head of the spider to mould into the shape that would have been more authentic, Alfie loved these and was enormously impressed.  His reaction certainly made up for how he responded to my answer to his DNA/genes/atoms/spectrum questions.

A plague of red back spiders

A plague of red back spiders

Chocolate Red Back Spiders

Makes:  12

Degree of Difficulty:  1/5

Cost:  This will depend on the quality of chocolate you purchase.  I used 70% Lindt chocolate however there are cheaper options.

  • 200gms dark chocolate
  • 2 tbspns crunchy peanut butter
  • 100gm packet Changs dried noodles
  • licorice straps to make spider legs, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) long pieces and cut into thin straps
  • pearl candy beads for eyes
  • red icing to decorate the spider’s back

Break up chocolate into small pieces.

Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Do not let the bowl touch the water.  Add chocolate and peanut butter to bowl and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and add dried noodles.  Stir until fully combined.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Take two tablespoons and scoop a tablespoon of mixture onto one spoon then use the other spoon to shape into a rounded shape.  Place on baking paper.

Take licorice pieces and stick into sides of ‘spider’.  Take two pearl candy beads and stick into spiders for eyes.

Use a piping bag to pipe red icing along length of back.

Place spiders in the fridge until ready to serve.

Red back spiders - perfect for Halloween

Red back spiders – perfect for Halloween

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Comments

  1. This is the best spider that I have ever seen…. You are great. Thanks and Love, nia

  2. I’m only disappointed I can’t try one – they are brilliant. I got A levels in Physics, chemistry and Biology and I’m pretty sure I didn’t know the answer to Alfie’s questions 25 years ago let alone now!

  3. Thes spiders are fantastic. Very creative – I’m sure Alfie was very pleased. I bet though if you said you didn’t know but let’s look up the answers together he would be thrilled. At 8 he’s got some pretty incredible questions. Sounds like you have a very smart cookie on your hands. My son use to do the same thing, kids are just smarter today than we were growing up. Looking up the answers together really seems to please them plus we learn a lot as well. Not that you’re asking for suggestions but just thought I’d throw that out. Enjoy your Sunday. 😉

  4. Lovely idea for a fun Halloween with kids 🙂

  5. I can relate to the questions! Love the spiders.

  6. Gorgeous chocolate spiders, Charlie. I’m not surprised that Alfie was impressed by them. 🙂

    As to the endless round of questions, “everyone knows something really well but no one knows everything really well”. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

  7. Great looking spiders! Although Alfie will learn that Google is his friend (really the best place for questions like that) I suspect part of his questioning is it’s a good way to hang out with you. Maybe you should start asking him some questions — that could be a lot of fun. 😉

  8. I love how curious and inquisitive Alfie is, and I do get a kick of how you deal with the plethora of inquiries. I’m impressed with your spiders, too…perfect Halloween treats!

  9. We are all disappointment to our kids, let’s face it. But I hardly think you are much of one to Alfie…The spiders are fabulous.

  10. Aww, I think these are really cute!! and so glad you redeemed yourself in Alfie’s eyes. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit! You handled it well and gave us all a good laugh!!!

  11. Now you’re totally ready for halloween!! Aww don’t feel so dissapointed, but thank you for sharing such a story. It really was a joy to read 🙂

  12. The youngest Glam teen was just like that and so were my answers just a disappointing as yours. He now believes that you can find anything and everything on Goole and spends hours geekily and entertainingly filling his head and our dinner conversation with facts. Love the spiders so halloweenaly perfect. GG

  13. What spooky yet tasty looking treats!

  14. G’day! Love the spiders Charlie, true!
    Alfie sounds like me when I was his age too! lol
    Cheers! Joanne

  15. I think the spiders are very authentic Charlie! (you should link them to the Sweet Adventures Blog hop – the theme is Halloween).
    What did our poor parents do before Google? I guess they just made up the answer. My sister thinks that a lot of the things we ‘know’ mum actually made up but she was so convincing we took her word for it.

  16. In the big scheme of things, Alfie has the best case scenario. Google wouldn’t serve him up these no matter how hard he searched!

  17. Thank heavens for Google, eh? Even my own mom wants to look everything up.. so I guess that means she didn’t know everything either;) I remember boasting to a friend (age about 6) that my mom knew everything. I do know one thing.. those little spiders would taste just yummy and I’m not surprised they were a real hit with Alfie!xx

  18. What would we do without Google?! These are the cutest things ever for Halloween.

  19. LOL love all the questions, sounds just like my son 7 years ago. Spiders look awesome 🙂

  20. These spiders are really impressive! Aren’t we glad that Alfie has a sense of fun along with his curious mind. I am sure he was delighted with the spiders, and proud of you for making them. I head to Google several times a day with questions. I’m very knowledgeable about a few things, but just my luck, no one ever asks me about those things…so Mr. Google is my best friend! 🙂

  21. I am also very impressed. They look super spooky.
    When I first started teaching English as a second language when I arrived in Italy, the students were always asking questions I couldn’t answer. I used to say, ‘That’s a great question. Let’s dedicate some of the lesson tomorrow to answering that.’ Then I would scurry home and swot up on it. They never caught on that I didn’t know the answers. I didn’t actually lie though.

  22. Way to cute too be spooky Charlie- so I guess that’s another disappointment? 🙂
    Alfie sounds like my littlej, she once asked me Newton’s third law of physics, so I answered ‘Never eat more than you can lift’ she believed me- until she gave that answer in class and received a homework assignment to ‘clear things up’. Sigh… It’s not easy being parent of the year… Xox

  23. Aww I don’t think that most people would be able to answer those questions! It’s better to say that you don’t know than to make things up too! 😀 Thanks for making the lovely spiders Charlie for the party!

  24. oh god I don’t know any of the answers either!! Thank God for Google! Love your spiders Charlie, love that its noodles and chocolate!! Great combo x

  25. Awww why are you disappointed? These look awesome Charlie! And they would have easily impressed me too! So all good 🙂 LOL I’m really dreading the time when my nephew can talk that much and ask so many questions!

  26. Oh my, those are some serious questions for an 8 year old! Yippee for google!
    Great spiders Charlie.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  27. Awww… I was just like Alfie as a kid and yes my parents didn’t know always the answer which was disappointing and at that time there was no google. Once I had google I stopped asking questions. =D As a grown up I get irritated too when kids ask me holes into my stomach. Glad that your spooky spiders made up for the disappointment.

  28. You have one heck of a smart kid. Love his questions, hahaha!! Those spiders are cute and creepy. Yumm!!

  29. Anyone who has spent time with a child knows how tiresome their questions can become. I think you handled it well, but it seems you’ve quite a bit of experience. 🙂 I’m surprised at the questions themselves. As an 8 year old, I had no idea of DNA, genes, and the spectrum. How the curricula have changed!

  30. Ouch! I am glad he liked the spiders, although I would have a hard time eating them, they look all too real for me.

  31. Great way to do spiders.

    He will certainly enjoy his talented and gifted do. Don’t worry I would have to look those answers up too.

    Carolyn

  32. Not disappointing at all….. They tasted great!!

  33. These look great! And what a coincidence…I’ve been CRAVING

  34. Haha, Nate feels the same way about me and my questions! i wish I could remember what I was like when I was little, but I’m pretty sure it was just like Alphie. Asking lots of questions means you have a bright boy on your hands, though. hahaha, poor Alphie. Well at least he HAS google! These spiders are adorable…perfect for Halloween 🙂

  35. You never disappoint me, Charlie, however, The Next Generation is now disappointed in me…Sons, then Grandkids.

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