Chapter 1: The Inspiration Harry Potter was first introduced to the world in 1997. His magical world has been enchanting us muggles for nearly twenty years, and next month the legend expands with the movie release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. So with Halloween right around the corner and a new movie coming soon, the time was right for a Harry Potter tea party. I consulted the books just like Hermione would have done, readied my wand, and then let the magic happen. Chapter 2: The Menu The world of Harry Potter is full of iconic food and beverages that are just as delicious to eat as they are to read about. It wouldn't be a tea party without tea, so I served a traditional English Breakfast, although I think a Scottish Breakfast would be just as fitting. Butterbeer was also on offer, served slightly chilled and with a gorgeous head of foam. The Hogwarts train ride wouldn't be complete without some pumpkin pasties, and neither would a Harry Potter tea party. I made two versions, sweet and savory, to satisfy any hungry student. The other delicacies were taken from various mentions throughout the books, such as Harry's favourite dessert, treacle tart, complete with griffin crust. There were bacon butties with H.P. sauce, pumpkin loaves, and the infamous Skiving Snackboxes. The three different snackboxes are two-tone marshmallows, rice treats, and coconut ice. They are great bite-size treats (but without the adverse side-effects)! Also featured was Polyjuice Potion mushroom soup and a Colour-Changing Charm Tea. Chapter 3: Recipe for Hagrid's Rock Cakes 3 cups all-purpose flour 4oz butter 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup each dried cranberries, cherries, and currants 1/2 cup whole milk egg wash Combine the flour, butter, salt, sugar and baking powder. Use a pastry cutter to break mixture until fine and crumbly. Add the dried fruit and toss a few times to keep from sticking together. Slowly add the milk while gently kneading. When the dough just comes together, place in fridge while you preheat the oven to 375*. When the oven is preheated, remove dough and gently pat down until 1.5 inches thick. Use a large biscuit cutter or circle cutter to cut cakes. Place on baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remember, in the books these cakes are nearly inedible, which you certainly wouldn't want to serve your guests, but that doesn't mean they can't look rustic and rocky. It helped me to visualize my hands as though they were Hagrid's, large and rough, but steady. Chapter 4: The Farewell
Everything I put into this tea was a nod to J.K. Rowling and the wonderful world she created. For those of you who love Harry Potter, I hope you enjoyed this tea as much as I enjoyed creating it. Leave your comments below and if you have any questions about what I did, please ask!
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