Years ago, when J.K. Rowling was just beginning her meteoric rise to fame, a reporter asked the Harry Potter author why her novels had become so successful. Rowling said she wrote her books so that readers could taste them.
Rowling's descriptions of the goodies that Harry and his pals gobbled up at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry captured readers' imaginations.
Now, fans can learn how to create Peppermint Humbugs, Sugar Mice and more tempting treats in Dinah Bucholz's new book, "The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit."
"I guess you could say it all started with Treacle Tart and Knickerbocker Glory," Bucholz told CTVNews.ca recently from Philadelphia.
"I had no idea what they were. But I was intrigued by the quaint-sounding dishes in the series," Bucholz said.
In her 2010 bestseller, "The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook," Bucholz delighted fans with recipes for hearty British breakfasts and afternoon teas with Hogwarts' groundskeeper, Hagrid.
The book also included many recipes for pies and tarts to fuel Harry's energy through a tough game of Quidditch.
By contrast, sweets dominate the menu in "The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit."
Though no actual samples of Chocolate Love Potions or Treacle Fudge are included this kit, fans will find 35 tantalizing recipes in the 96-page book.
The two recipes below are easy to make even for novice hosts planning to throw their first Harry Potter party.
They also add just the right flavour to the end of an era, as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" rolls into theatres this week.
Conjuring up tasty treats
(Excerpted from "The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit)
Crunchy Roaches
When Fred and George Weasley present Harry with the Marauder's Map, he doesn't hesitate. He knows exactly where he's going, and it's only minutes before he finds himself in Honeydukes, safely hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. He sneaks up on Ron and Hermione and gives them the shock of their lives when he delivers his opinion on the Cockroach Clusters that Ron suggests buying for him (see "The Prisoner of Azkaban," Chapter 10).
Easy Clusters
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, or dark-chocolate-flavored compound coating, melted
- 1 cup popcorn
- 1/2 cup fine Chinese noodles
Directions:
- Combine the melted chocolate, popcorn, and Chinese noodles in a mixing bowl. Stir to coat completely.
- Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a sheet of parchment paper. Allow to set before eating, about 1 hour. (If you temper the chocolate, it will set after about 5 minutes.) Makes about 2 dozen nuggets.
Fancy Clusters
Ingredients:
- 1 cup slivered (not sliced) almonds
- 2/3 cup pecan halves
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and tempered, or 8 ounces dark-chocolate-flavored compound coating, melted
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Place the almonds and pecans in a bowl and moisten with the brandy, then mix in the sugar to coat. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the toasting time, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and keep warm, but not hot, while you prepare the chocolate.
- Pour the warm nuts into the bowl of melted chocolate and stir to coat evenly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a sheet of parchment paper and leave to set, about five minutes. Makes about 2 dozen clusters.
Butterscotch Brew
Butterbeer makes its appearance many times in the Harry Potter series; it's one of the most popular beverages in the wizarding world. Harry enjoys his first butterbeer on a forbidden trip to Hogsmeade; he doesn't have the required permission, but he slips in anyway in his Invisibility Cloak (see "The Prisoner of Azkaban," Chapter 10).
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup golden syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter flavor
- 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1-litre bottle carbonated water, such as seltzer or club soda, chilled
Directions:
- Put the sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a very small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in hot water.
- Continue to cook without stirring, watching the sugar carefully. When amber spots appear, swirl the pan to even out the color and prevent scorching. Continue to watch, tilting and swirling the pan frequently, until the sugar turns a deep amber color.
- Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Add the water carefully, as the mixture will bubble up violently. Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture is liquefied again. (The cold water will cause the sugar to seize into hard lumps.)
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly and add the remaining ingredients, mixing well to incorporate them. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.
- Pour out 1 cup of the carbonated water and carefully pour in the chilled sugar syrup. The carbonated water may foam up, so add the syrup slowly. Cap the bottle and turn gently upside down a couple of times to mix. Serve over ice. Serves 4.
(To make Butterscotch Brew without golden syrup, increase the sugar to 1/2 cup, dissolve it in 2 tablespoons water, and continue as directed.)
