The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook - Dinah Bucholz [81]
Prepare the custard while the crust is baking. Heat the milk and cream in a small saucepan until hot but not simmering (do not boil). In the meantime, whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Temper the yolk mixture by slowly pouring in ½ cup of the hot milk mixture while whisking vigorously. Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan and continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the wooden spoon scrapes up thickened bits of custard. Do not let the mixture simmer or boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
Raise the oven temperature to 375°F. Pour the hot filling into the hot crust and bake until the custard puffs up and is still jiggly when you move the pan, about 15 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. The custard will set up as it cools. Cool completely before serving.
Serves 8
Blancmange
Ron would like to get another look at the stunning French veela girl who had asked for the bouillabaisse. He moves the blancmange, a French dish, in full view of her table, hoping to tempt her to come over and get some, but she pays no attention. Nice try, though (see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 16).
Now does a molded dish of chicken mixed with ground almonds, rice, and sugar sound? This original medieval dish of blanc manger (white food) appealed to the nobility. The more modern version is made of milk flavored with ground almonds and thickened with gelatin, and it's so rubbery that you can bounce it off your walls, although your mom might not appreciate it if you try that. But there is no accounting for taste.
3 cups whole milk, divided
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup ground almonds
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Strawberry Sauce
1 pint strawberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Grease 8 tartlet molds or a muffin pan and set aside. Put ½ cup of the milk in a bowl and sprinkle gelatin over it. Set aside.
Heat the remaining milk and the cream, sugar, and almonds in a small saucepan until hot but not simmering. Pour the mixture through a sieve and discard the almonds. Stir in the gelatin-milk mixture until gelatin is dissolved (if necessary, place over medium heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved; do not simmer or let boil). Stir in the almond extract.
Fill the molds to the very top and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Place a plate over the mold and invert to unmold. If you're having trouble unmolding, wrap a hot towel around the mold for a few seconds. Serve with Strawberry Sauce.
To make the Strawberry Sauce, place the strawberries and sugar in a blender or food processor and pulse until completely blended.
Serves 8
Jam Tarts
At the Gryffindor party celebrating Harry's victory in the first task, Hermione wisely passes on the jam tarts Fred offers her. It's not a good idea to accept anything from the mischief-loving Weasley twins, as Neville finds out a moment later (see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 21).
There are several theories about how the word “jam” evolved, but the theory from the 1736 Dictionarium Britannicum is the sweetest: it comes from the French j'aime, which means “I love.” Once sugar was cheap enough for jam to be affordable, it became a staple in England, finding its way into tarts and onto toast. Jam tarts are easy to make, and kids love them.
Tart Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks cold butter or margarine, cut into chunks
1 cold large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons ice water
Filling
½ cup any flavor jam
For the crust, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter or margarine over the flour mixture. Pulse