Halloween Cookie Recipe: Witches Fingers!

 

Frightfully Bloody Witches Fingers!

When I saw this recipe at Recipe Girl’s blog, I knew I would be making them for the potluck party at the YMCA.

“Witches Fingers” would be perfect for the Halloween theme we had planned and the kids would love them!

An almond flavored shortbread type cookie, these are a tasty treat and a ton of fun to make.

    Want one my pretty?

 

WITCH FINGER COOKIES

Recipe from   www.RecipeGirl.com

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
¾ cup whole blanched almonds (I used almond slices)
1 tube red decorator gel

1. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla extracts.

2. Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add to wet mixture and beat just until moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or lightly grease them.)

4. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping the remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in center to create “knuckle” shape. Using a small knife, make slashes in several places to complete the look of the knuckle. Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. (I returned my fingers to the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to chill)

5. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes.

6. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks

Recipe for Pumpkin Pie Spiced Chocolate Truffles

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Chocolate Truffles

and Martha Monday’s Luminaries!

 

I’ve made many truffles before, like my Cinnamon Chipotle Truffles, Eggnog Truffles, and Coconut Truffles, but I was looking for something a little different. So I tried some Pumpkin Pie Spiced Chocolate Truffles to serve at an upcoming dinner party that I’m throwing. I wanted something to serve with a red wine or a port, so I used dark chocolate for these gems.

 

 I used a  bar of 70% cocoa  Artesian dark chocolate  that I got in my goodie bag from Scharffen Berger when I went to the Blogher conference in Sanfrancisco. I can’t think of a nicer way to use this delicious chocolate.

I added pumpkin pie spice to my ganache and I got a little bit of an oily residue. I just gave it a little stir a couple times as it was cooling, and it did just fine.

 

They scooped easily and then I put them in the refrigerator to chill.

 

These chocolate transfer sheets were my inspiration to make these truffles and I used them for the decorations. They turned out beautiful (in a homemade kind of way!), tasty, and perfect for sharing with a few friends. I cant wait to see what my people think of these.

 

Now for my Martha Monday Project!

 Luminaries!

These turned out so cute and were so easy!

 Brette from Martha and Me choose this weeks Martha Monday project. She gave us our choice between pot stickers and/or  Halloween Luminaries.

I picked Luminaries! But I cheated a little bit. I didn't make them according to the directions. I decided to use paper bags instead of cutting out Martha’s template. I cut out little windows in my bags and taped printed vellum sheets to the inside of the bags. Using both gold and white vellum sheets, I got the clip art from Martha Stewart. A small candle or a battery operated tea light makes them glow.

I’m going to line my deck with these for my party next weekend.

They will set the mood for truffles and red wine under the Harvest Moon! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Chocolate Truffles

(Printable Recipe)

Makes 16 truffles

Ganache:

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream*
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 8 oz dipping chocolate wafers

Bring cream just to a boil. Turn off heat and chocolate. Let sit without stirring for 5 minutes. Stir till smooth. Add pumpkin pie spice. Let cool, stirring every 15 minutes till almost set. Scoop into balls. refrigerate till firm.

Melt chocolate wafers. Dip truffles in chocolate.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

It's a cake, It's a cookie, No! it's...

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie!

This months Cookie Carnival choice was
Martha Stewart's Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
Pumpkin spiked cream cheese filling sandwiched
between two devils food chocolate cookies.
It taste like a cake, it's name says pie, but it really is a cookie.
How perfect for Halloween!



I got 12 cookies, the recipe said 18. But the recipe also said mini. Oops!
There was nothing mini about mine.
Mine were big enough that one would do ya.
O.K, mine were big enough that half would do ya.

For a girl who loves chocolate and pumpkin, these didn't do it for me.
I got great reviews, but not on my list of *MUST MAKE*.
They were cute, perfect for the season and fun to make.
Just not my favorite. :(

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE COOKIES
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING
* 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
* Pinch of cinnamon
* Pinch of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

Makes about 18-20 cookies.