What could be more nightmare-inducing than a tasty display of disembodied green witchy fingers at your Halloween party? Well, a lot of things actually, when you get right down to it. But hey, play along!

Some Halloween party hosts like to come up with the most ghoulish, gruesome or downright disgusting things to serve their guests at their annual foray into the dark side. Many even set up elaborate “haunted houses” inside their homes, where partygoers have to run the gauntlet tasting and often feeling their way to the finish. Such shenanigans are all in good fun, and everyone has a good time.

 

INGREDIENTS

28 blanched almonds (see Note below)

1 tube black gel food coloring

14 large pretzel rods

12 ounces bright green candy coating (I used Wilton’s Vibrant Green Candy Melts)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Use a small food-safe paintbrush to paint the top of each almond with black gel food coloring. (Wear food-safe gloves if you want to avoid getting your fingertips dyed black as well!) Set aside to dry while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Break or cut each pretzel rod in half. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.

Place the green candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheat. Stir and heat until the candy coating is completely melted and smooth.

Holding a pretzel rod by the tip, dip it in the green coating until almost all of it is covered, leaving about a 1/2-inch section undipped at the top. Place the dipped pretzel on the prepared baking sheet. Immediately place a black almond on the candy-coated tip, for the “fingernail.”

Continue to dip more pretzels, and while you do, keep an eye on the already-dipped pretzels. When the coating has started to dry and is mostly matte but not completely hard, it’s time to add the wrinkles for the knuckles. Take a toothpick and hold it perpendicular (crosswise) to the pretzels. Gently roll it across the top to add wrinkles. Make two sets: one set up near the fingernail, and one set about halfway down the finger. This will make your witch finger super realistic! If the coating is too melted and sticky when you try, give it a few more minutes to set before trying again.

After all of the pretzels have been dipped and decorated, refrigerate the tray for 10 minutes to set the coating completely. After that, the Witch Fingers can be served or can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Note: If you cannot find blanched almonds, you can take whole almonds, with the skins on, and place them in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain the almonds, let them cool slightly, then pinch the nuts between your fingers—the skins should slip right off. Alternately, if you don’t want to use black food coloring at all, you can use regular almonds or chocolate-dipped almonds instead.

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Quick Tip:  You should be able to find the black gel food coloring and the green candy coating in the baking aisle of your local market. If you cannot find it there, check with your local arts and crafts store or order it online.

Recipe and image courtesy of Elizabeth at The Spruce