The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz Page A

bubbling. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until smooth. Return to the heat and add the milk, cooking and stirring until just heated through (do not boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the hot chocolate immediately into four teacups. You can top the hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.
    Serves 4
    This hot chocolate is very rich. For a lighter version, put 1 heaping teaspoon cocoa powder, 3 to 4 heaping teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon instant coffee, and a few drops of vanilla extract into a large mug. Pour in a little boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add more boiling water to come ¾ of the way up the mug. Stir well, then add milk or cream to fill the rest of the mug. Try adding a few mini-marshmallows to the cup before drinking. You can use a stick of cinnamon as a stirrer to add a bit of cinnamon flavor. For smooth creaminess, replace the dark chocolate with white chocolate.
Any-Nut Nut Brittle
    In his third year at Hogwarts, Mrs. Weasley sends Harry lots of yummy treats, including nut brittle. But Harry barely notices these mouth watering items when he sees the Firebolt sent to him by a mysterious well-wisher (see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Chapter 11).
    Nut brittle is one of the most delicious candies ever, and it's far too easy to crunch up a whole pound before you know it. It's been made for centuries, and with good reason. It's easy to make; you just need to watch the temperature carefully.
    1 cup granulated sugar
    ½ cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
    ¼ cup water
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ¼ stick (2 tablespoons) butter
    1½ cups chopped raw nuts (almonds, pecans, peanuts, or any nut you like)
    ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    ½ teaspoon baking soda
Grease a rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Clip a candy thermometer to a saucepan that is at least 4 quarts. Place the sugar, golden syrup or corn syrup, water, and salt in the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the temperature reaches 280°F.
Add the butter and nuts and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 300°F. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda (the mixture will bubble and expand a lot).
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it with a wooden spoon as much as you can; it should be about ¼-inch thick. Cool completely before breaking into shards and eating.
    Makes 1 pound
Nutty Chocolate-Covered Toffee
    Mrs. Weasley's prowess in the kitchen is impressive. Most home cooks, even good ones, leave toffee to the professionals. Yet Mrs. Weasley sends Easter eggs filled with homemade toffee to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. To Hermione's dismay, Mrs. Weasley sends her a much smaller egg; she's “been reading Rita Skeeter” (see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , Chapter 28).
    A British-American dictionary is useful if you need to know, for instance, that “nappy” doesn't mean “napkin” or “a short nap,” but “diaper.” Less useful is the fact that “toffee” is British for “taffy” because in America, these two confections are very different. Toffee is made with lots of butter and can be either hard or soft, while taffy is very chewy and is likely to pull your teeth out. Toffee is very easy to mess up. You need to watch the temperature carefully and stir constantly to prevent scorching. Do not despair if you ruin your first few batches; it's worth it to learn how to make this delicious candy.
    *Soy lecithin is an emulsifier; that is, it keeps the fat in the candy from separating. You can find a bottle of liquid soy lecithin at a health food store. You can also make the toffee without it if you can't find it.
    1 cup granulated sugar
    ½ cup golden syrup or corn syrup
    1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) butter
    ½ cup heavy cream
    ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
    ¾ teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon soy lecithin* (optional)
    1 teaspoon pure