Want to impress your guests with a creepy cocktail that just screams Halloween?

Gather together some absinthe, longan berries, lychee juice, blueberries and bloody strawberry-raspberry sauce.

Step 1: Berry Scary Eyeballs

When I bought some fresh longan berries at the supermarket last spring I immediately knew they would make perfect fake eyeballs. With their milky white flesh and dark black seeds they are far more realistic-looking than skinned grapes could ever be. Fast forward six months to Halloween season and of course fresh longan is out of the question. Tinned is almost as good, however - so crack open a can and strain away the syrup.

Take each longan berry and add a couple of drops of blood sauce in the centre. To make the blood sauce, simmer a de-seeded blend of strawberries and raspberries with a bit of sugar.

See a more detailed explanation of the blood sauce by scrolling down to step 1 of the following instructable link:

Severed Apple Head Dessert

Step 2: Blueberry Pupils

Pop a blueberry into the centre of each bloodied longan berry.

Optional: Stab your fruity eyeball with a skewer, toothpick or cocktail fork. Avoid doing this if you plan on following the final step.

Step 3: Garish Garnish Display

The longan eyeballs look great squashed in a jar or set in a dish of blood sauce. Drop one in the bottom of each cocktail or display them where your guests can add as many as they like.

Step 4: Wicked Drink Mixing

Combine 2 parts absinthe with 1 part lychee juice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake and pour.

This makes a very strong drink, which is necessary for the next step. You may want to leave the remaining lychee juice in a pitcher or decanter so your guests can add more to their drinks after they have been presented.

After you've added your longanberry eyeball and your absinthe mixed drink, you may also want to drizzle a bit of excess blood sauce into each glass - it will sink to the bottom and create a gory layered effect.

Step 5: Light 'em Up

Right before serving, turn out the lights, light a long match and set your witchy cocktails ablaze.

The effect is fantastic - with eyeballs, blood, neon green spirits and dancing flames, these drinks really do look like something out of a haunted cauldron.

Happy Halloween!