Cream the butter and sugar until as white as possible.
Add lemon juice and egg, and beat.
In a separate bowl whisk the flour, cinnamon and baking powder so that it is well combined.
Add half the mix flour to the creamed butter and sugar. Combine on low speed until combined, add the second half of the flour combine on low speed until a soft cookie dough has formed.
Cover the dough in the mixing bowl with cling wrap or beeswax paper/wrap, and chill for 30 mins.
Roll small portions of the dough (around 2 teaspoons or half a tablespoon) into finger shapes. These shapes don't need to be perfect, in fact, the more knarled the better for witch finger cookies. Place on a lined cookie sheet.
Press a whole almond into one end of the finger, this will be the fingernail.
Use a small sharp knife to make lines to represent the knuckles.
Bake your cookies at 160 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, they should be lightly golden on the underside when they are ready. Transfer to a cooking rack to cool.
Witches Brew Chocolate Dip
Heat the cream, salt and maple syrup in a small saucepan until boiling.
Place the dark chocolate in a mxing bowl.
Pour the piping hot cream over the dark chocolate, leave to sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir until well combined.
Cool, and serve with gummy worms, sweets and the witch finger cookies.
Notes
Tips
Be sure to push the almond fingernails in quite firmly so that they stay in place. If they do come loose, you can use a little of the chocolate ganache to stick them back in place.
The lemon juice in the recipe doesn't add flavour to the cookies, but the acid helps stop the cookies from spreading while baking.
If you have unbaked cookie dough it will last up to 7 days in the refrigerator, or it can be frozen for up to 6 months.
The witch finger cookies store well, so can be made well in advance. (Keep in an airtight container for up to seven days, or freeze for up to 6 months.)
The witches brew chocolate ganache can also be made in advance. It will store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.
Any leftover ganache will be delicious warmed and served over ice cream!