Witch's Finger Bread Sticks with Maple Mustard Dip

Ingredients for Witch's Finger Bread Sticks with Maple Mustard Dip

• 350ml warm water (41°C to 46°C)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 (5g) package active dry yeast

• 500g plain flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 10 drops green food coloring

• 48 sliced almonds or peanut halves

• 8 drops red food coloring, diluted with 1/4 teaspoons water

• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)

• 1/2 tablespoons pretzel salt or coarse sea salt

• 120ml mayonnaise

• 120ml coarse-grain Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or mild honey

• Special equpment: Stand mixer with paddle attachment and dough hook

• 1 or 2 small paintbrushes

Stir together water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until sugar is dissolved; let stand until yeast bubbles, about 5 minutes.

Beat in 130g flour on low speed until combined.

Clean dough from paddle, then attach dough hook. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 325g flour to mixture and beat until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 3 minutes. (If dough is too sticky, add enough of 60g remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is no longer sticky.)

Oil a large bowl and transfer dough to bowl, then turn dough over to coat it with oil. Cover bowl with a dry towel, then let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until it is double in size, about 1 hour.

While dough is rising, place green food coloring in a small bowl, and using a paintbrush, paint one side of the almond slices or the rounded side of the peanut halves.

Heat oven to 232°C with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide dough into quarters. Work with 1 piece at a time, and keep remaining dough covered.

Roll one quarter into a 12-inch log, then cut it into 12 (1-inch) pieces.

Dust work surface with additional flour, if necessary, to facilitate rolling. Roll and stretch each piece into a craggy 5-inch "finger." Transfer fingers to baking sheets and let stand at warm room temperature, loosely covered with a smooth kitchen towel, until fingers are slightly puffed, 15 minutes.

Pinch top of fingers to look like knuckles, then lightly score each knuckle with a sharp knife.

Brush fingers with egg wash, then press on nails. With cleaned paintbrush, dab a little red colour around the cuticles. Sprinkle fingers all over with pretzel or coarse sea salt.

Bake fingers until deep golden, about 15 minutes (form more fingers while first batch is baking). Transfer to a rack to cool.

Repeat forming and baking in batches with remaining dough.

Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, and maple syrup until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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