Dear Hagrid
Oh Hagrid. I think you're a wonderful man/half-giant. You scooped Harry up, as tenderly as if he were your own, and took him to safety on the motorbike. Where he'd be safe though, admittedly, ill-treated with his aunt and uncle. I bet you thought about him many times over the following decade. Then, when he was old enough, and Dumbledore's letters weren't getting through, you went to fetch him. You took him a chocolate cake with green icing saying Happy Birthday Harry. No-one else had remembered his birthday.
When Harry started school at Hogwarts you were always keeping a look out for him. You invited him to tea, by owl letter. I bet Harry was delighted to receive his first ever owl as he knew no-one else in this new world who would send him one. His aunt and uncle wouldn’t be sending him an owl now, would they? And in that first week you made him, plus his new friend Ronald Weasley, tea and rock cakes.
It was such a thoughtful thing to do. Whenever I wish to show love to my children I bake for them; maybe they’re having a tough time of it or I want to celebrate their joy. Making Harry rock cakes spoke volumes about your affection for the little orphan boy. Unfortunately I know your rock cakes were found to be a little hard. Teeth-breakers, apparently. Like real rocks. There is nothing worse than rock hard rock cakes. (Well, there is. Dry rock cakes where you have to pick the 'dead flies' out, but that's personal preference.)
So I thought I'd send you my recipe for rock cakes. It provides a hard (but not rock-hard) outer and a soft, moreish, inside. I flavour the dough with just a hint of vanilla and stir in chocolate chunks, instead of dried fruit - although, of course, you can use dried fruit if you wish.
Happy baking, Hagrid. Next time you have Harry to tea, even though he's grown up now, I'm sure he'll love them. In fact, I guarantee it.
With best wishes
Helen Redfern
Recipe for Rock Cakes Inspired by Hagrid
Equipment
Large mixing bowl, baking tray lined with baking parchment
Ingredients
325g self raising flour
Pinch of salt (a very small pinch, Hagrid)
175g light brown soft sugar
Pinch of vanilla
200g soft butter
200g chocolate chunks (your favourite chocolate chopped into chunks)
1 egg (chicken egg, not dragon)
Splash or two of milk
Pre-heat oven to 170 fan.
In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt, sugar and vanilla. Stir.
Add the butter in small pieces, then use your fingers to combine the butter with the dry ingredients. You should end up with a crumble type mixture. (But don't do this for too long else the rock cakes will be dry.)
Stir in the chocolate.
Make a well in the centre of the bowl and crack in an egg. Add a splash of milk. Give it a little whisk with a fork then combine it into the rest for he mixture. Hands are probably best. (If it is too dry add a little more milk.)
Divide into small balls onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes. until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then place onto a wire rack.
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chocolate chip rock cake recipe - easy and extremely delicious. Great for bake sales, coffee mornings, tea time treats and dessert. http://abookishbaker.co.uk/