Halloween Finger Food Recipes for Parties and Snacks

Two images immediately come to mind when I think of Halloween Finger Foods. The first, of course, would be fingers that you eat. The other, more traditional idea of finger foods is that which you eat with your fingers. There are many great recipes for both types of finger foods. There couldn't be a more appropriate time then Halloween for eating your fingers...that is, with your fingers. In this spirit, I have created two wonderful finger food recipes that are not only cute and fun to make, but have nutritional value and the kids love them. Both the Skeleton Fingers and the Zombie Bread can be served as Breakfast, with Lunch, or as Desert.

Skeleton Fingers

Dough:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

Glaze:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup marshmallow crème

Filling:

Strawberry Jam

In a medium size bowl, combine flower and baking powder. Cut in butter with a fork or your fingers until it resembles small crumbs. Add vanilla and heavy cream and mix well. After the dough forms a ball, remove from the bowl and knead for 30 seconds to a minute. Pat dough to a half inch thickness, shaping it into a rectangle. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 strips. Shape one end of each strip into a point, resembling a fingertip. Place dough on ungreased baking sheet and back at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

When fingers have cooled to room temperature, carefully cut each one in half and spread with strawberry jam. Put the two halves back together.

In a small saucepan, melt butter, chocolate chips and marshmallow cream on low heat stirring constantly. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and while mixture is still hot, dip each dough fingertip into the chocolate and coat evenly around. Place in the refrigerator to cool and harden.

Butternut Apple Zombie Bread

½ pound apples, 2-3 medium size Gala or Braeburn

1 butternut squash

8 ounces apple puree

8 ounces butternut squash puree

1 cup apple juice

1 cup olive oil

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon allspice

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place cut side down in baking dish with ¼ inch water. Bake in 450 degree oven for 30-50 minutes until soft. Drain and cool. Boil apples for 15-20 minutes until apples are soft and skins split open. Run each through a food mill or colander to puree and removes seeds and skins. 8 ounces of each puree will be used in the recipe.

In a large bowl, add apple puree, butternut squash puree and all wet ingredients. Beat with electric mixer on low until well blended. Add all dry ingredients except flour and mix. With mixer on, slowly add flour until all is combined. Mix on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into two loaf bread pans or into decorative pans for different shapes as desired.

Bake at 350 degree oven. For loaf pans, bake 50-65 minutes. For smaller loafs or cupcake sizes, bake for 30-45 minutes. Bread is done when knife inserted in center comes out clean and it is pulling away from sides.

Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes then transfer to racks to cool. Sprinkle tops with confectioner's sugar and serve plain or with honey butter. For the Zombie Breads shown in the photo, I used Wilton brand 6 unit skeleton pan and Wilton shapely pans, as well as a nine inch loaf pan. The faces were outlined in black Deco-cake icing writers.