Ingredients

The Lychees (The Eyeball): While fresh lychees are a delectable tropical fruit, for this recipe, canned is king. Fresh lychees can be a hassle to peel and pit, and their sizes can be inconsistent. Canned lychees, packed in syrup, are perfectly tender, uniformly shaped, and have a convenient cavity left from where the pit was removed. This cavity is the perfect socket for our blueberry “pupil.” When draining them, be gentle to avoid tearing the delicate fruit. You can give them a very light rinse with cold water if you want to remove more of the syrup, but a simple drain is usually sufficient.
The Blueberries (The Pupil): The blueberry is the dark, soulless center of our eyeball. Look for fresh blueberries that are plump, dark, and relatively uniform in size. You want them to be just large enough to press into the lychee’s opening without falling out, but not so large that they split the lychee. If your blueberries are too small, you can use two. If they are too large, you might need to find a smaller batch or, in a pinch, trim a tiny bit off one side (though this is less ideal). Frozen blueberries can work, but they tend to release more juice and can discolor the lychee, so fresh is preferred for the cleanest look.
The Jam (The Blood): This is what takes the recipe from “interesting fruit snack” to “horrifying Halloween treat.” The choice of jam is crucial. A seedless raspberry or strawberry jam provides the best color and a slightly translucent, glistening quality that mimics fresh blood. If your jam is too thick or chunky, you can warm it slightly in a microwave for 10-15 seconds and stir it vigorously to smooth it out. You can also thin it with a tiny drop of water or red food coloring if needed. For an even more gruesome effect, you can stir in a single drop of blue or black food coloring to the red jam to give it a darker, more venous look.

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Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Workstation
Set up a clean workspace with a baking sheet or large platter lined with parchment paper. This will give you a non-stick surface to place the finished eyeballs and make cleanup a breeze. Have three small bowls ready: one for your drained lychees, one for the blueberries, and one for the red jam.

Step 2: Drain the Lychees
Open the cans of lychees and pour them into a colander or sieve set over the sink or a bowl. Let them drain thoroughly for a few minutes. You want to remove as much of the packing syrup as possible, as it can make the lychees slippery and dilute the “blood” effect. Gently pat them dry with a paper towel if they seem excessively wet.

Step 3: Create the “Pupil”
Take one drained lychee and locate the cavity where the pit was. This is where the “pupil” will go. Select a fresh blueberry and gently but firmly press it into the cavity. The blueberry should fit snugly. The dark blue color of the berry showing through the pale, translucent flesh of the lychee instantly creates the eyeball effect. Repeat this process for all the remaining lychees, placing each stuffed eyeball onto your prepared baking sheet.

Step 4: Get Bloody
Now for the fun part! If your seedless jam is very thick, give it a quick stir to loosen it up. Using a small paintbrush (a clean, food-safe one, of course!), a toothpick, or the back of a small spoon, pick up a small amount of the red jam. Artfully dab and smear the jam around the blueberry “pupil” and onto the back of the lychee. The goal is to create a veiny, bloodshot look. A little goes a long way. You can create thin, veiny lines radiating from the pupil or a more gruesome, smeared effect as if the eyeball has been freshly plucked. Don’t strive for perfection; the messier and more irregular, the creepier the result!

Step 5: Chill for Effect
Once all your eyeballs are sufficiently bloodied, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This helps the jam set slightly, making the eyeballs easier to handle and enhancing the creepy, cold look. It also ensures they are refreshingly cool when served.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 95