An Unexpected Cookbook: The Unofficial Book of Hobbit Cookery by Chris-Rachael Oseland

larger bannocks, but for afternoon tea, the goal is to make small cakes no wider around than a saucer. You should be able to comfortably fit three at a time into a round skillet or four onto a square griddle.
     
    Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until they’re a dark golden brown.
     
    These are best served warm with a nice cup of milky tea. If you want to make them up in advance, you can reheat them without burning the surface by arranging a single layer on a lined baking sheet and popping them in a 400F / 205C oven for 5-6 minutes, or until warmed through but not yet overly crispy on the outside.
     
----
     
    VEGAN VARIATION
     
    If you’re entertaining travelers who don’t eat meat, simply substitute your favorite milk alternative (almond milk tastes particularly good in this context) and add 1 tsp vegetable oil to the batter to make up for the lost milk fat. Instead of butter, grease your pan with a swipe of vegetable oil. You’ll end up with a wholesome vegan tea time treat.
     
----
     



Hot Cross Buns
    Although none of the races of Middle Earth are overtly religious, Tolkien himself once described The Lord of the Rings as "a fundamentally religious and Catholic work." In the same way, there’s nothing intrinsically religious about warm, sweet bread stuffed with fruit and glazed with a couple lines of sugar, but Hot Cross Buns are a long standing Catholic tradition.
     
    England had a long history of marking bread in special ways to ward off bad luck, evil spirits, and even spoiling. In the 17th century, adding a cross to everyday buns was considered “Popish” and went out of fashion among English Protestants. Bakeries put this bias aside at the Easter season, when Catholics and Protestants alike enjoyed Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday.
     
    It’s heartbreaking to realize so many of the lush descriptions of food in the Shire were written during England’s darkest days of war rationing. During World War II, it wasn’t uncommon for English families to save up on their rations for weeks in order to make Hot Cross Buns as a special Good Friday treat. These days, they’re available in many bakeries through most of the month of April.
     
    Dough:
    ½ c /120 ml warm milk
    1 tbsp yeast
    3 tbsp room temperature butter
    ½ c / 120 ml heavy cream
    ½ c / 100 g sugar + 1 tsp
    1 egg, lightly beaten
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp cinnamon
    ⅓ tsp ginger
    1 c / 200 g currants, sultanas (golden raisins) or a mix of both
    3 ¼ - 3 ½ c / 425 - 450 g flour
    1 tsp lemon zest
     
    Glaze:
    1 whole egg, beaten
    1 egg white
    2 tbsp milk
    ¼ c / 30 g powdered sugar
     
    Completely dissolve the yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm milk. Since these are normally cold weather treats, the sugar gives the yeast a little extra help getting started on a chilly day.
     
    In 10 minutes, the yeast should be nice and foamy. Add the room temperature butter, heavy cream, sugar, and egg. Beat it all together until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Now add the salt, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon zest. Keep mixing for another minute or so until the spices are well integrated into the liquids.
     
    Now add the flour, ½ cup at a time, until you achieve a dough that’s tacky, but not sticky. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook, set it to low, and let the machine do all the work for the next 6-8 minutes. If you’re working by hand, spread a little flour on a clean surface and gently knead the dough for 8-10 minutes.
    Once you’re satisfied with the dough, spread it into a rough rectangle. Add half the currants or sultanas. Fold the dough in half and add the rest. Fold it in half once more. If you mix them straight into the dough, you risk them rising to the surface and expanding into crazy little balloons. Folding them in like this helps keep the fruit anchored in the middle of the buns where it can add sweetness and texture without making the surface look weird.
     
    Pull off golf ball shaped chunks of dough and roll them into a circle. Arrange the buns