"Your scar is legend."
Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets
Last month I received The Official Harry Potter Baking Book for my birthday. I couldn't wait to start making something from this book. So I decided that today I should try my hand at making bread for the first time. So I made some Harry Potter Lighting Bolt Breads.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
375g white bread flour
1tsp active dry yeast
3tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs, or 1tsp dried herbs
60g finely grated cheddar cheese
3tbsp olive oil
1tsp salt
To finish:
4 tbsp finely grated cheddar cheese
Paprika, to sprinkle
Equipment:
Bowl
Small bowl
timer
Measuring spoon
Round-bladed knife
Baking trays
Knife
Substitute with your favourite vegan cheese for a delicious vegan version.
If you don't like herbs you can always make it without herbs. Also if you don't have olive oil you can use vegetable oil instead.
Method:
1. To make the bread weigh the 375g of white bread flour and add it into the bowl
2. Measure 1tsp of active dry yeast and add it into the bowl
3. Add 3tbsp of finely chopped fresh herbs into the bowl. If you got dried herbs add 1tsp into the bowl.
4. Weigh and grate cheddar cheese into a separate bowl and add the grated cheese into the bowl.
5. Add 3tbsp of olive oil into the bowl.
6. Add a scant 1 cup/250ml warm water into the bowl.
7. Mix it all together well with a round-bladed knife until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Add a little more water if the dough is dry and crumbly.
8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minuets until the dough is completely smooth and elastic.
9. Place into to lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with cling firm.
10. Leave the dough to prove in a warm place for about 1-1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
11. Once the dough has finished proving and doubled in size preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit/220 degrees celsius/gas mark 7.
12. Line the baking trays with sheets of baking parchments.
13. Place the dough onto lightly floured surface.
14. Cut the dough into eight pieces.
15. Roll the dough into an oval shape measuring about 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches/17 x 11.5cms.
16. Place four pieces on each baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
17. Using the tip of a knife make a lighting bolt shape to make a large scar on each dough.
18. Cover the baking trays loosely with oiled cling firm.
19. Leave them in a warm place to prove for 30 minuets, until slightly risen.
20. Once proved bake them in the oven for 10 minuets.
21. Whilst the bread is being baked grate more cheddar cheese.
22. Once 10 minuets are up take the bread out of the oven.
23. Sprinkle about 4tbsp of grated cheddar cheese and paprika on the bread.
24. Place the bread back in the oven and leave them for a few minuets until the cheese has melted.
Serve the bread warm or cold.
Top tip:
These breads freeze well if you want to make them ahead of time. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven set to 350 degrees fahrenheit/180 degrees celsius/gas mark 4 for 10 minuets.
Magical fact:
Over the course of filming all eight Harry Potter movies, the lighting bolt was applied onto Daniel Radciffe's forehead more than two thousand times.
