“Horrible Hand” Ham and Cheese Board

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5 Reviews
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Ideal for Halloween, this "horrible hand" ham and cheese board will be the life of your party. This exceptionally creepy skinned hand is best served very cold, with crackers, hot sauce "blood"—and a dagger.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Updated on September 29, 2023
4
Halloween appetizer board with prosciutto-covered cheese "hand"
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4
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Prep Time:
30 mins
Freeze Time:
2 hrs
Chill Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
24
Jump to Nutrition Facts

Every year around this time, I like to joke about how scary, terrifying, and spooky Halloween foods are never actually any of those things. They’re goofy, funny, and sometimes gross, but they never actually scare someone. Well, this “Horrible Hand” Ham and Cheese Board may be the exception. Not my version, since I don’t have the sculpting skills, or anatomical knowledge to create a truly realistic skinned and amputated hand, but you might, and I hope you do.

 Regardless of how terrifying yours turns out to be, this would be a welcome addition to any Halloween themed snack table. The cheese spread is simple to make and can be customized in countless ways. Plus, the prosciutto “flesh” can be done with just a few ounces of meat, which makes this not very scary when it comes to the shopping budget. This would be great with any type of bread or crackers, but the black sesame crisps were perfect, so please stay tuned for those. Enjoy! 

More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John!

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 24 servings

  • 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened

  • 1/3 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

  • 1/2 teaspoon greshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

For the Board:

  • 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, or other cured ham

  • crackers or bread to serve

Directions

  1. Add cream cheese, red pepper, parsley, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

  2. Trace your hand on a piece of parchment. Turn parchment over, and place on a baking sheet. 

  3. Use two teaspoons to fill in the hand template with the chilled cheese mixture. Build cheese up in appropriate spots to form the 3-dimensional shape of a hand and wrist.

  4. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. 

  5. Use a knife to separate fingers from hand and hand from wrist. Wrap each piece with prosciutto, tucking extra meat underneath. Cover, and place in freezer about 1 hour, or until ready to complete assembling the hand.

  6. Place the hand section on a serving board first, then attach the fingers and the wrist. Use your own hand as a reference for placing parts of the hand. Use more prosciutto to cover seams, and to add detail and definition. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

    Halloween appetizer board with prosciutto-covered cheese "hand"

    Chef John

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

116 Calories
11g Fat
2g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Calories 116
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g 13%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 304mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 80mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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