Witch Fingers

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Place the flour, cold butter, egg, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Knead all the ingredients into a ball, then continue to knead the dough on a work surface until it is smooth and uniform in consistency.
4. Shape the cookie dough into logs, divide the logs into pieces weighing approximately 25 grams each.
5. Work each piece in the palm of your hands into a strip approximately 8 to 10 centimeters long.
6. Shape the knuckles of the fingers by thinning out the dough right above and below the knuckle, use a sharp knife to score the knuckle.
7. Place some jam on one end and stick an almond sliver to it so that it adheres to the cookie. Press lightly on the almond: this is the nail.
8. Brush the other end of the cookie with some red food coloring so it looks like blood from a finger which has been cut off.
9. Place all the cookies on a wax paper-lined baking sheet, approximately 3 centimeters apart.
10. Bake the cookies for approximately 20 minutes.
11. Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet.