1+ teaspoon cinnamon plus a mix of nutmeg, ginger and cloves
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 cups shredded carrots
¾ cup cooking oil
½ cup finely chopped, toasted pecans
CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 teaspoons cream cheese flavoring
INSTRUCTIONS
Grease and lightly flour two 9×1-1/2-inch round baking pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. If you have them, place parchment rounds on the bottom.
In a large mixing bowl, sift and combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Chop up about 5 large carrots and pulverize them in a food processor.
Combine the carrots, oil, and eggs. Pour batter into the prepared pan(s).
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans or 35 to 40 minutes for 13×9-inch pan or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool layer cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges then remove from pans and peel off parchment. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or, place 13×9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and store in refrigerator.
FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
Allow butter to soften then blend with vanilla and cream cheese flavoring, a dash of milk, and 3 sifted cups of confectioners sugar (powdered sugar).
Frost the sides and top of the cake.
While frosting is still moist, sprinkle on the toasted pecans and any other decorations your heart desires!
Kili wants to bake a tasty treat to thank Bilbo for the “brownie bites” recipe he gave to Fili… but will it all be a disaster? Be sure to subscribe to the Happy Hobbit channel on YouTube to be alerted to new videos, and follow their escapades on Facebook and Instagram!
RECIPE
BERRY FILLING
– 4 to 5 cups of fresh or frozen berries (if using frozen you will need more thickener)
– 2/3 cup of sugar
– 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
– 1/4 cup of flour
– Instant Clear Jel, quick-cooking tapioca, or another thickener.
CRUST
– 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
– 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
– 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of chilled butter (or lard)
– Up to 6 tablespoons of ice water
Use your torture device of Sauron (food processor) to chop the butter into the flour and salt until it has a grainy, sand-like consistency. Add ice water one or two tablespoons at a time as needed.
Flour your workspace and your rolling pin then roll out the dough for the tarts one handful at a time. Place a spoonful of the berry mixture in the center and have fun trying to seal it all up! You can make it a dumpling shape or more of an open top. Use a fork to seal the edges. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Place in Smaug’s mouth (the oven) and bake at 450 F for 10 minutes, then 350 F for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.
When Fili decides to bake a surprise to celebrate the release of Kili’s latest book, her sister catches wind and tries to spy while wearing a certain hoodie…
Kili’s (K.M. Rice) books can be found here, and check out LOTH Hoodies here! Recipe below.
SARUMAN’S SECRET SURPRISE CAKE
For the cake:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter (plus more to grease with pans with or you can use a baking spray!)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for the pans
1 cup of milk
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or a little more!)
For the frosting:
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped, plus shaved chocolate for topping
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
A small amount of cocoa powder for dusting!
Make the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter two 8-inch-round cake pans and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
3. Combine the butter, milk and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
4. Transfer to a large bowl, add the cocoa powder and granulated sugar and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
6. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the cocoa mixture then stir in the flour mixture until just combined (it’s ok if there are a few small lumps in this Saruman pool!).
7. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 35 minutes.
9. Let cool 10 or more minutes in the pans then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
1. Put the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth; let cool.
2. Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat in the melted white chocolate until combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth and fluffy; beat in the vanilla. (If the frosting is too soft to spread, chill 15 minutes or more! This makes a LOT of frosting so you may not end up using it all!)
4. Place one cake layer on a platter and spread with one-third of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer; cover the whole cake with the remaining frosting.
5. Top with dust of cocoa powder and enjoy a bit of Saruman’s surprise!
Kili and Dodo Brushwater, a shady hobbit from Frogmorton, want some donuts but neither know how to make the delicious treats. How will they convince Fili to make them… or will they?
Dodo’s Donuts Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups milk (preferably whole but can be any)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the sugar coating:
1/4-1/2 a stick of unsalted butter (can use up to a stick but just eyeball it)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Can adjust the amounts of sugar and cinnamon to taste or color!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. (Stirring with a spatula or large spoon works best!) Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan. You may need to carefully cut around their edges to get them out!
For the topping, melt the butter in the microwave then combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter, (if you’re using a wide enough bowl, or else paint the butter on with a brush), and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.
Summer means strawberries, and strawberries are one of Samwise’s favorite foods! Join Kili to learn how to make one of Mr. Gamgee’s specialties! Recipe below.
SAMWISE’S STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFFS
For the Puff:
Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and sift the flour directly into the pan. Stir the mixture into a paste with a wooden spoon. Return the pan to a medium heat. Stir the mixture until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and is slightly shiny, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the paste to a medium bowl, and beat with a wooden spoon until slightly cooled, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next just until the batter is smooth and tight. If the batter starts to get loose, don’t add all of the last egg.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry. Place on a rack to cool.
While the puffs cool, slice one pound of fresh strawberries lengthwise.
For the Cream:
Ingredients
2 cups (1 pint) of heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1+ teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Begin to whip the cream and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar. Whip until smooth and stiff but be careful not to over-whip (it may become butter!)
To Assemble:
Once the puffs are cool, slice them in half and fill with the cream. Place the strawberries on the cream (and top with strawberry sauce/glaze if you so wish). Return the top of the pastry to make a sandwich then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
These don’t keep long, so be sure to eat them all soon like Sam would!
AND REMEMBER!
Happy Hobbit is going to Denver Comic Con (Jun 13-15th). For the first time, we’ll have our very own panel. Hope to see you there!
