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Christmas Trifle

Despite eating four helpings of trifle at Christmas tea, Crabbe and Goyle have no problem polishing off the chocolate cakes Hermione had set up as a trap (see Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12).

Christmas trifle is a natural outgrowth of Christmas cake or pudding. Take some of the leftover slices from Christmas dinner, throw 'em in a bowl, top 'em with custard and whipped cream, and voilà! You have something fabulous to serve for Christmas tea.

1½ cups whole milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar Pinch salt

3 large egg yolks

¼ stick (2 tablespoons) butter

¼ teaspoon rum extract or ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Leftover slices of Christmas pudding or Christmas cake

¼ cup marmalade

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ground nutmeg or cinnamon, for dusting

Combine the milk, cornstarch, brown sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until hot but not bubbling. Pour ½ cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly, then pour the mixture into the saucepan while stirring. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbling. Remove from the heat and add the butter and rum or vanilla extract. Stir to combine, then pour through a sieve, using a rubber spatula to push the mixture through. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold or up to 3 days.

Crumble a few slices of the Christmas cake or pudding into the bottom of a 9-inch serving dish, preferably clear glass, that is 2½ to 3 inches deep. The crumbled cake or pudding should come about 1½ inches up the sides. Spread the marmalade as well as you can over the cake or pudding; it will be sticky. Then spread the brown sugar custard over the marmalade, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to 3 days.

Before serving, combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the trifle and dust with ground nutmeg or cinnamon.

Serves 8 to 10

Stewed Tripe and Onions

Professor Trelawney was crystal-ball gazing and she saw herself joining the Christmas feast. Imagine that! So here she is at the table, and Professor McGonagall, though she has little patience for the old fraud, offers her some tripe (see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 11).

Like Haggis (Chapter 7) and Black Pudding (Chapter 7), tripe isn't for everyone. The honeycomb variety specified in this recipe is the second stomach compartment (there are four of them) of the animal. If you're brave enough, give this recipe a try.

1½ pounds dressed honeycomb tripe (beef, goat, or sheep)

3 cups sliced yellow onions

2 cups whole milk

1 pinch ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place the tripe in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, remove, drain, and rinse with cold water. Cut the tripe into bite-size pieces and return to the pot along with the onions, milk, nutmeg, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours.

Strain the tripe and reserve the liquid. You should have 2 cups of liquid; if necessary, add enough milk to make 2 cups.

Wipe the pot. Melt the butter in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the tripe and stir to coat. Add the flour and stir to coat. Add the reserved liquid and continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4

Eggnog for Kids

At Harry's second Christmas at Hogwarts, Hagrid is greatly helped by the eggnog. With every cup he consumes, he's able to sing carols progressively louder