Wednesday 31 October 2012

Witches' Fingers


I felt that a little something was needed to celebrate Halloween so here are my witches' fingers. As you can see from the photos, the witches in question were rather more voluptuously shaped than the ones we are used to seeing in fairy tales which makes their plump fingers somewhat less scary than the more traditional long, thin digits. However, the bleeding, severed fingers look suitably macabre for Halloween, I feel and I particularly like the yellow, thickened almond fingernails. For a more grotesque effect, you could add some green food colouring to the dough.

I'm sending this over to Javelin Warrior's wonderful weekly challenge, Made with Love Mondays.

JWsMadeWLuvMondays



RECIPE (from GialloZafferano)

280g plain flour
100g icing sugar
100g cold butter, diced
1 egg
1 level teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt (only if using unsalted butter)
a teaspoon vanilla extract

whole blanched almonds for the fingernails
raspberry/strawberry jam for visual effects

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend with the blade attached until the mixture starts to come together to form a paste. (If you don't have a food processor, just rub the butter into the dry ingredients, then add the egg and mix well until combined).

Turn the mixture out onto a board and work it with your hands until you have a smooth ball of dough. Break off a portion of dough and roll into a long, thin finger shape. Place an almond on the tip, shaping the finger around it. Using the back of a knife or a toothpick, make wrinkles under the nail and on the knuckle area.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the fingers on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for about 20-25 mins or until the fingers are pale gold.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

6 comments:

  1. These are awesome! Bravo on finding a way to do "blood" without food dyes and I love the almond fingernails! These are marvelous and I'm so thrilled you decided to share...

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    1. Glad you like them - I'm quite pleased with the jam 'blood' effect too!

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  2. Very scary indeed! I love the rasbperry and almond combination - well done in creating the look!

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  3. Those look just like fingers! And the thick "fingernails" are a nice touch--exactly what I would expect on a gnarled old witch. Super job, Katharine!

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    1. The fingernails are wonderful aren't they - all yellowed and ridged - taste good though!

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