Halloween Special: Bloody Witch Fingers

Daniel
Oct 25, 2021
3 min read

Updated: May 22

It is this time of the year again. Halloween! This is an old recipe of mine and I made this every year for Halloween. This recipe is about 7 to 8 years old and it is nostalgic each time I am making these fingers. Kinda like walking down memory lane. My kids' friends will come over and have a smashing Halloween party and I would serve them goodies like this. Fond memories indeed.

And years went by, they are already grown up and Halloween party is probably a thing of the past. Well, at least for them, but not for me. Haha! Anyway, you can add green coloring to the cookies by combining 5g matcha powder with the dry ingredients. If you are lazy to make a strawberry compote, you can use strawberry jam. You are after all the tinker of your witch fingers.

I have left all the pointers and tips in the directions down below, cos there are lots of ways to screw everything up, especially during the shaping process. Please read and understand before proceeding. In closing, here I wish all you lovely people a very Happy Halloween!

Ingredients:

(Make 20 fingers)

Cookies:
Unsalted Butter Softened, 113g
Icing Sugar, 63g
Egg Lightly Beaten, 25g
Pure Vanilla Extract, 1/2 TSP
Amaretto, 1 TBSP
Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 135g
Wholemeal Flour, 40g
Baking Powder, 1/2 TSP
Sea Salt, 1/2 TSP
Almonds, 20g
Strawberry Compote:
Cornstarch, 5g
Water, 23g
Strawberries Frozen or Fresh, 225g
Demerara Sugar, 25g
Spiced Rum, 1 TBSP
Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon
Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2 Lemon

Equipment:

Oven
Stand Mixer / Hand Mixer
Sauce Pot

Directions:

Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
Add sugar and continue beating until well combined.
Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and amaretto. Whip until fully incorporated.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry mix to the butter mixture in thirds, mixing between additions.
Scrape down sides and knead until dough comes together—about 1 minute.
Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Strawberry Compote
In a sauce pot, whisk cornstarch and water until smooth.
Add strawberries and sugar.
Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Add spiced rum and deglaze (careful—it may flambé).
Remove from heat, mash strawberries.
Stir in lemon zest and juice.
Taste and adjust sweetness. Set aside.
Shape and Assemble the Cookies
Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).
Scoop 1 TBSP of dough and roll into finger-length logs.
Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Use two fingers to make gentle indentations.
Use a sharp knife to carve 9 shallow lines for knuckles.
Press an almond at one end to mimic a fingernail.
Tip: Chill each shaped finger if your kitchen is warm.
Repeat until all cookies are formed.
Bake the Cookies
Bake for 20–25 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Rotate tray halfway through.
If cookies spread too much, lower oven temp to 150°C (300°F).
Remove from oven and gently remove almonds while still warm.
Add a small spoonful of compote to each fingertip.
Return almonds on top of the compote for a "bloody" effect.
To Serve
Serve warm with extra strawberry compote on the side.
Best enjoyed fresh from the oven!