What is the confusion about the handle that you are having? What confuses me is why there are ropes of licorice wrapped all crooked around the handle. Your concept has it looking a bit more like cloth wraps.
I still think the wraps could use some more work. The cloth could use some more volume, and make it really look like te cloth is overlapping and criss crossing on the handle. Right now it looks like someone just carved in a cloth grip on your handle. Other than that, This is going to bake awesomely.