Obviously, I am a big Harry Potter fan. The complete magic and wondrous world that J.K. Rowling created captured me from the first time I picked the books up. The first book was published in 1997, when I was 17. At the time, I hadn’t even heard of the books, let alone read one. I didn’t pick up the Harry Potter books until 2002, shortly after I got married.

During the first year of our marriage, my husband was deployed several times. Of the 12 months of that first year, he was gone about nine of them. This was shortly after the first film was released, so HP was really entering mainstream at this point, and it finally caught my attention. I’ve always been a huge reader, so I snatched the first two books up at Target and ended up reading them voraciously!

Since then, I’ve read the books dozens of times, waited around at midnight release parties, arrived at movie theaters insanely early to guarantee good seats, attended Harry potter festivals, and had the good fortune to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (where I have decided that we will be retiring)! If it involves the Harry Potter series, I’m there, I’ll buy, I love it! My next endeavor is to make it to LeakyCon! Hopefully 2012 is my year!

This week marks the beginning of the very end. This Friday, November 19, Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released (Part 2 comes out in June 2011). When the book was released, I tried so hard to read it as slow as possible so it would last just a little bit longer. That same feeling is why I’m actually quite glad that the film is being released in two parts. Some people are annoyed by it, but I’m glad that the experience will last just a little longer. Love it or hate it, you have no choice but to acknowledge that Harry Potter changed the world!

In celebration of the film’s release this week, I’ll be sharing some delicious Harry Potter treats with you. I had the best time writing these posts! It was a little bit like stepping into the magical world of Rowling’s! No feature of Potter treats would be complete without Harry’s favorite food: treacle tarts!!

Admittedly, I had no clue what treacle was, let alone treacle tarts, so I had a small bit of research to do. It turns out treacle is a sweet syrup that is derived during the processing of cane sugar. I searched high and low for it, but as has become the norm for me, it was unavailable for me. I think it wouldn’t be completely unreasonable to think that it might be available in some places in the States, but if you can’t find it, never fear! I have a substitution.

The majority of treacle tart recipes that I read during my research seem to prefer golden syrup, which is also known as light treacle. I decided that was what I would go for. I learned that a good substitute for golden syrup is two parts light corn syrup, one part molasses. It worked perfectly, and I have to say, this dessert was so much easier than I expected, and incredibly tasty! No wonder it’s Harry’s favorite food!

The crust for these tarts is a shortcrust. I like to think of it as a cross between shortbread and tart crust. Basically, that just means it’s sweeter. For my crust, you’ll need all-purpose flour, salt, ice water, confectioners’ sugar, and cold, unsalted butter. Cut the butter into tablespoons and place in the freezer until ready to use.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt with two or three pulses.

Evenly distribute the cold butter over the flour mixture and and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal.

Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of the cold water over the flour mixture, and process with four to five pulses.Â After processing, the mixture should look sandy. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Sprinkle another tablespoon of the water over the mixture and use a rubber spatula to press the dough together. When the dough looks shaggy and a bit dry, but holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three or four times until the dough comes together completely. Handle the dough as little as possible to prevent melting the butter.

Continuing to handle the dough lightly, shape it into a disk six to seven inches across. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Once chilled, Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. If making many small tartlets, work with half of the dough at a time.

Roll the dough to about one-eighth of an inch thick.

Line the tartlet pans with the dough by lifting a corner of the dough gently and placing the pan under it. Gently press the dough into the pan, then use your fingers to press the dough into the edges of the pan, cutting it. If needed, press the dough more firmly into the pan. To line a standard tart pan for a full sized tart, use the directions found here.

Place the tarlets on a baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes, preferably in the freezer. Once chilled, line the pans with bits of foil or parchment and fill each one with a small amount of pie weights or dry beans. Bake mini tartlets at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Bake a full size tart at 350 for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

While the crust cools, start the filling mixture. You just need ground ginger, heavy cream, eggs, golden syrup (or molasses and light corn syrup), and the juice and finely grated zest of a small lemon. Oh yeah, and fresh bread crumbs. I seriously always leave one thing out…so strange.

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and pour into the cooled tart crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (for tartlets), or about 30 minutes (for a standard tart), or until the filling has set.

I’m so happy I decided to make these, because they are wonderful (bonus points and my eternal respect if you know whose wand that is back there). They’re sweet and ever-so-slightly tart, and with the cream on top, they’re a lightly decadent dessert. I’m constantly surprised at how often these chocolate-less treats make me so very happy! Plus, being as obsessed with Harry Potter (and England too) as I am, I loved exploring a traditional English treat.

These were fast and easy! An awesome way to celebrate the release of Deathly Hallows! Make them! And enjoy!

Treacle Tart

Makes one 9 inch tart, or 2 dozen tartlets

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

3-4 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE FILLING

18 oz. golden syrup (or 12 oz. light corn syrup combined with 6 oz. molasses)

2 eggs

finely grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

For the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt with 2 or 3 pulses. Evenly distribute the cold butter over the flour mixture and and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cold water over the flour mixture, and process with 4 to 5 pulses.Â After processing, the mixture should look sandy. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle another tablespoon of the water over the mixture and use a rubber spatula to press the dough together. When the dough looks shaggy and a bit dry, but holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until the dough comes together completely. Add more water, up to 1 tablespoon, as needed. Handle the dough as little as possible to prevent melting the butter.

Continuing to handle the dough lightly, shape it into a disk six to seven inches across. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Once chilled, Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. If making many small tartlets, work with half of the dough at a time. Roll the dough to about one-eighth of an inch thick. Line tart pans as directed above.

Place the tarlets on a baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes, preferably in the freezer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once chilled, line the tarts with bits of foil or parchment and fill each one with a small amount of pie weights or dry beans. Bake mini tartlets for 15 minutes. Bake a full size tart for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

For the filling: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and pour into the cooled tart crust.

Bake for 20 minutes (for tartlets), or about 30 minutes (for a standard tart), or until the filling has set.

Allow to cool completely before serving. Serve with clotted cream, vanilla ice cream, or fresh whipped cream.

Recipe by Darla

Other great Harry Potter recipes from Bakingdom:

Homemade Butterbeer

Double Double Chocolate Cauldron Cakes

Honeydukes Candyfloss Cupcakes

Harry Potter Sugar Cookies

Hogwarts House Pride Spice Cake

Read about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter here:

Inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter