Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, parsley, chives, and pepper. Mix with an electric hand mixer or a spatula until the herbs are evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2

Tape a piece of parchment paper to a cutting board and trace your hand and 3 inches down your wrist. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the parchment.

Step 3

Cut 1 string cheese in half crosswise; these pieces will be the thumb and pinky. Trim 2 of the string cheeses to be about 2 inches long; these will be the index and ring fingers. Keep the remaining string cheese whole. Wrap each piece of string cheese in prosciutto, making sure to cover the ends that will be the fingertips.

Step 4

Using a 1-ounce scoop, scoop 6 portions of the goat cheese mixture onto the wrist area of the traced arm. Add another 4 scoops to the back of the hand area. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the scoops to make a smooth surface. Use the tip of the spatula or the back of a spoon to create a ½-inch-deep divot down the center of the wrist and a well in the center of the hand. Spread some of the goat cheese mixture down each finger tracing. This will help secure the string cheese fingers and create a smoother look. Fill the divot and well with the pesto, being careful not to spill over the sides. If the cheese is becoming too warm at this point, lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before proceeding.

Step 5

Place each prosciutto-wrapped string cheese on their respective finger tracing, pressing down onto the goat cheese to secure.

Step 6

Add 3 scoops of the goat cheese mixture to the wrist area in a single line and 3 more scoops to the back of the hand area. Smooth with the offset spatula to create the wrist and arm, covering the pesto. Make sure to spread the goat cheese mixture over where the string cheeses attach to the hand to create a smooth look, using your fingers as needed. You may have some excess cheese mixture leftover, depending on the size of your tracing. Fill in any patches with more of the goat cheese mixture and shape the cheese to create a realistic hand shape.

Step 7

Cover the entire hand and wrist with the remaining prosciutto. You may want to tear the prosciutto into smaller pieces for a more realistic effect.

Step 8

Cut the olives into quarters. Square off one end of each quarter and leave the other end pointy to resemble a fingernail. Trim each “fingernail” to fit the respective finger you will be placing it on (for example, make the thumbnail slightly larger than the index fingernail, and so on). You will only need 5 pieces total.

Step 9

Cut ½-inch divots into each fingertip. Add a tiny bit of the remaining goat cheese mixture to each divot, then press the olive fingernails into their respective fingers.

Step 10

Cover the arm with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 5 days.

Step 11

Just before serving, remove the plastic wrap, then transfer the arm to a serving platter. Cut 2 slices off the back of the wrist. Serve with crudités and crackers.

Step 12

Enjoy!