HARRY POTTER-INSPIRED RECIPES TO MAKE WITH KIDS
Cooking as a family is a wonderful shared experience for both parents and kids, some might even call it magical. With The Unofficial Hogwarts for the Holidays Cookbook ($19.95, 978- 1646040728, Ulysses Press, October 2020), your young ones will be eager to hop into an apron and work their magic with a whisk. These delicious recipes for kids and families are inspired by Harry Potter and his wizarding friends at Hogwarts.
Some of the most iconic Harry Potter moments happened around mealtimes and holidays at the castle, and The Unofficial Hogwarts for the Holidays Cookbook shares step-by-step instructions for the dishes from those scenes from the famous J.K. Rowling books that you can recreate in your kitchen. Read on to discover recipes for Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties and even a Cauldron Cake recipe. These Harry Potter Inspired recipes are fun to make on an afternoon off from school or they are extra special treats for a book club or snacks fro a magic-themed birthday party.
Chocolate Frogs Recipe
This chocolate recipe is surprisingly easy and is sure to delight any Potterhead. The only specialty utensil is a frog-shaped mold, which you can find online. Feel free to enchant your Harry Potter frogs after you’re done making them. But be careful not to let them escape out the train window. This recipe makes between 24 and 36 frogs, depending on the mold size.
Chocolate Frogs Recipe from Harry Potter
Equipment
- frog-shaped mold (you can find online)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp milk
- miniature marshmallows
- pecan halves in pieces, or shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly spray a frog-shaped candy mold with coconut oil cooking spray.
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate begins to melt, approximately 5 minutes.
- Once the chocolate is quickly melting, reduce the heat to low. Continue stirring for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is thoroughly combined and the chocolate is smooth and easy to pour, approximately 3–5 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately start spooning the chocolate into the frog molds. Be sure to push the chocolate into any crevices of the mold. If you wish to add filling, fill the molds only halfway.
- Add miniature marshmallows, pecans, coconut or other filling choices to your chocolate frogs, if using, to the middle of the chocolate mold, then top the rest of the mold with chocolate. Smooth the back off with a butter knife.
- Place the Harry Potter-inspired chocolate frog mold in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Pumpkin Pasties Recipe
A magical must-have, pumpkin pasties are an autumnal tradition for Harry Potter and his wizard friends. Warm, packed with pumpkin flavor and immensely satisfying, these iconic treats are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Plus, thanks to the fact that they’re encased in a delicious golden crust, they are super portable. This recipe is perfect for a magic train ride, a picnic or a school lunch! This recipe yields 6 pasties.
Pumpkin Pasties inspired by Hogwarts and Harry Potter
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 green apple, minced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Pastry Crust
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 teas salt
- 5 tbsp cold butter, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into chunks
- 4-6 teas ice water
Instructions
- Combine all filling ingredients for your Harry Potter inspired pumpkin pasties in a mixing bowl, mixing well until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- To make the crust for your pumpkin pasties, put the flour, sugar and salt into a food processor bowl. Pulse several times to combine.
- Scatter the chunks of butter and shortening over the flour mixture and pulse about 15 times until everything is combined and resembles a coarse meal. No powdery bits should remain.
- Transfer the Harry Potter-inspired pumpkin pasties mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture and toss it with a spatula until it starts to clump together. If the mixture is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the texture is smooth.
- Gather all of the dough into a ball and pat it down into a disc.
- Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll the dough to 1⁄8-inch thickness.
- Use a saucer, small plate or bowl to cut out 6-inch circles for the cover ofyour Harry Potter-inspired pumpkin pasties.
- Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling into each circle, and then fold the dough over into half circles.
- Moisten the edges of each circle with ice water and crimp with a fork to seal.
- Cut small slits into each pasty to make vents.
- Bake the Harry Potter-inspired pumpkin pasties on an ungreased cookie sheet for 30 minutes, or until browned.
Easy Cauldron Cakes Recipe
Here’s a fun take on the cauldron cake: a decadent chocolate cupcake topped with fiery orange frosting. They are so easy to make that anyone could do it! This recipe yields 12 Cauldron Cakes.
Easy Harry Potter Inspired Cauldron Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teas baking powder
- 1/4 teas baking soda
- 1/2 teas salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teas vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk, divided
Filling
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 1/4 teas all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teas powdered hot chocolate mix
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 teas vanilla
Icing
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teas vanilla
- 4-5 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin and set aside.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl foryou Harry Potter Inspired Cauldron Cakes.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the oil mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix well. Add half of the milk and mix again.
- Add another 1/3 of the flour and mix well. Add the second half of the milk and combine thoroughly.
- Finally, add the last of the flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling them about halfway. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven, then, with a knife, remove each cupcake from the tin to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, 45–60 minutes.
- While the Harry Potter Inspired Cauldron Cakes cool, combine all the ingredients for the filling in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until the mixture thickens, about 7 minutes, then remove it from the heat and cool completely.
- Using an electric handheld mixer, mix the filling again for 5 minutes or until it becomes fluffy and light.
- Once the filling is fluffed, use your thumb or a small spoon to press a hole in the cupcakes, creating a “cup” inside each one.
- Fill each cup with the filling and let stand while you make the icing.
- To make the icing, beat the butter on medium speed with an electric handheld mixer until it is soft and creamy. While beating, gradually add in the powdered sugar, stopping the mixer every now and then to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- Once the sugar and butter are thoroughly incorporated, add the vanilla and beat again.
- Add the heavy cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Let stand for 5 minutes, then frost your Harry Potter Inspired Cauldron Cakes and serve.
The Unofficial Hogwarts for the Holidays Cookbook by Rita Mock-Pike Bring your love of wizardry and Harry Potter into the kitchen with your kids with this Harry
Potter-inspired cookbook. Featuring 75 recipes, this book will inspire you to stir up your holiday season and make every day a spell-tacular celebration. Available for $17.95 at BarnesandNoble.com.
Looking for even more holiday recipe ideas? See the Food & Home section of our website for good eats, decor ideas, crafting fun and more! You may even find camps that include cooking or magic in their summer camp program.
Pingback: Raising Money-Smart Kids - Charlottesville Family