Hagrid’s Rock Cakes

A better version of Hagrid’s rock cakes, soft and sweet, full of good stuff like sultanas, dried apricots, prunes and cranberries and ready within 30 minutes.

Hagrid’s rock cakes are mentioned quite a few times in several of the Harry Potter books but never in a positive manner. For instance, Harry almost broke a tooth once, while biting on one of the gamekeeper’s cakes. Unlike Hagrid’s probably over baked rock cakes, these cakes are deliciously soft and tender, the only thing they have in common with actual rocks are their looks… Otherwise just sweet, soft, somewhat crumbly delight, not only something for the children, but for those grown-ups with a serious sweet tooth as well (I am thinking here of my dear mother-in-law, who could not stop eating these cakes…). And another great thing about these cakes: they can be made from scratch and baked within 30 minutes.

This is the last recipe of this Harry Potter series, I hope you enjoyed the recipes. And the end of the series makes me realize this is the end of another month, of November, that means almost the end of the year. I know this is such a cliché, but where did this year go? Time flies way too fast and getting older makes it fly even faster. The kids feel like the time stretches forever from August, when they both have their birthdays, to Christmas, when it is present time again. For me, it is just like: how can it get from hot summer to bitter cold in such a short time… My husband’s grandmother is 96 years old and she once said that her life seems to fly from one Christmas to another in a matter of days…

But enough depressing thoughts for one morning, the bright side of being almost December is Christmas indeed, the best time of the year. I love Christmas, I’ve always did, it is the one thing that makes winter bearable. I am enjoying the Advent Sundays and I cannot wait for those pre-Christmas days full of preparations and anticipation, the joy of the kids on the morning of the Christmas Eve, their impatience during the Christmas Eve dinner, their happiness of finally finding their presents under the Christmas tree and then the following, more relaxed Christmas day full of delicious food, laughter and laziness. 🙂

And if you are looking for some nice Christmas dinner/lunch ideas stay tuned, I have some for you during the next two weeks. 🙂 Until then enjoy Hagrid’s soft rock cakes! By the way, the source of this recipe is Delia Online, the only recipe I found not needing self-raising flour, which is unavailable here. But it is a great recipe, so I am glad I’ve found it!

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Hagrid's Rock Cakes

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 10-12

A better version of Hagrid's rock cakes, soft and sweet, full of good stuff like sultanas, dried apricots, prunes and cranberries and ready within 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 350 g/ 12.3 oz/ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 level teaspoons baking powder (I use Dr. Oetker)
• 175 g/ 6.2 oz/ ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ¼ freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ level teaspoon allspice
• 175 g/ 6.2 oz/ 1.5 sticks butter, soft
• 125 g/ 4.4 oz mixed dried fruits (I used sultanas, prunes and apricots)
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg and allspice. Rub in the soft butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Chop the larger dried fruits into small pieces. Stir all the fruit into the flour mixture.
4. In a small bowl whisk the egg lightly with a fork. Add it to the flour-butter mixture and stir until a stiff dough is formed.
5. Break larger amounts of the dough from the mixture with your hands and place them on the baking tray. They don't have to be smooth or regular, they should resemble rocks in the end, so be sure you have some irregular, spiky heaps on the tray.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, than transfer to cool on a wire rack.
7. Store airtight.

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