Lembas recipe

Robin · Jul 19, 2008

Per Sara's request, here's the lembas recipe I use when I have a craving for elf bread.

From http://www.robinmckinleysblog.com/recipes/?p=1171 cups sour milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 to 1 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
about 3 1/2 cups flour
Combine ingredients and work with hands into a soft, pliable dough. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll about 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick. Cut into squares, circles, or other fun shapes (I like to use cookie cutters). Bake on a lightly floured griddle over VERY low heat until done, flipping after 10 min or so. They should turn a light brown color on both sides but not burn.

And a few other versions too:
http://entropyhouse.com/penwiper/costumes/lembas.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2255040_lembas-bread-elf-bread.html
http://greenbooks.theonering.net/moonletters/recipes/files/r060102_01.html

And for lots of other LOTR recipes:
http://lotrscrapbook.bookloaf.net/other/recipes.html

maxmordon · Jul 19, 2008

Interesting! Even though Lembas is said to be based on Hardtack:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardtack

Sarita · Jul 19, 2008

Robin, you rock! Thanks so much for posting this. And yes, I'm a total geek, the kind that will make this the next time all my geeked out friends come over to watch LotR.

I can't imagine anything Elvish tasting like Hardtack. Sure, the basic idea, but the Elvish spin on it has to make it lighter and more sweet. Hardtack was just salty flour. Yeck!

Robin · Jul 19, 2008

I think there are some "purist" recipes out there too, complete with the leaves to wrap the lembas in. I love cardamon, though. )

maxmordon · Jul 19, 2008

Sounds lovely, nonetheless, as everything Elves do...

L M Ashton · Jul 19, 2008

Hey, I think I'll give this a try, too.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Jul 19, 2008

Oh, I can't wait 'til Ol' Boy decides it's time for another LOTR weekend!

HorsebackWriter · Jul 19, 2008

How cool. : )

Very interesting. I'm going to try this recipe, too. Thanks for it!

Em

CBumpkin · Jul 27, 2008

What the hey - I have all the ingredients and some time on my hands, so I'll give this a try right now!

CBumpkin · Jul 27, 2008

The results are in!

I made the recipe exactly as it was given in the OP but reduced it by half. It mixed very well and I only needed to add a bit more flour to help pat out the dough. I broke it off in pieces and patted it out instead of rolling it out. Being a guy, I don't have cookie cutters.

I don't have a griddle so I made it on the stovetop in a lightly floured pan. The key is LIGHTLY floured. I have an electric stove with temps from SIM to 10. My first attempt was on 2 1/2 (5 being medium). That was too hot. I left it for 10 minutes as recommended and then flipped it.

I cooled the pan down to SIM and tried it again, flipping the bread after only six minutes on each side. The coloring looks better on this one.

Lastly, I tried baking a few. At first, I put it in the oven at 200 degrees. Ten minutes later, barely any change so I cranked that puppy up to 350 degrees! After five minutes, I flipped them and baked them for another five minutes. They're a bit darker than the others and, I think, have the best coloring.

The texture of all three were the same and reminded me of molasses cookies (in texture only.) They didn't crisp up but were firm.

Taste-wise, they are definitely on the bland side, as expected, but cardamom and nutmeg are the perfect spices for these. They are only slightly sweet.

And one bite really was enough to fill the stomach of a grown man. I ate one whole piece (about 2/3 the size of a PopTart) and I'm stuffed!

What would I do differently? Double the spices (at least) and add some vanilla.

My digital camera battery was dead, so I'm charging it right now so I can take a picture of them. I thought some might like to see how they look. Back soon with a picture!

HorsebackWriter · Jul 27, 2008

Awesome! I haven't had a free second to make them yet, myself!

Psyched to see the photos.

Vanilla in there sounds yummy. : )

Em

CBumpkin said:
The results are in!

I made the recipe exactly as it was given in the OP but reduced it by half. It mixed very well and I only needed to add a bit more flour to help pat out the dough. I broke it off in pieces and patted it out instead of rolling it out. Being a guy, I don't have cookie cutters.

I don't have a griddle so I made it on the stovetop in a lightly floured pan. The key is LIGHTLY floured. I have an electric stove with temps from SIM to 10. My first attempt was on 2 1/2 (5 being medium). That was too hot. I left it for 10 minutes as recommended and then flipped it.

I cooled the pan down to SIM and tried it again, flipping the bread after only six minutes on each side. The coloring looks better on this one.

Lastly, I tried baking a few. At first, I put it in the oven at 200 degrees. Ten minutes later, barely any change so I cranked that puppy up to 350 degrees! After five minutes, I flipped them and baked them for another five minutes. They're a bit darker than the others and, I think, have the best coloring.

The texture of all three were the same and reminded me of molasses cookies (in texture only.) They didn't crisp up but were firm.

Taste-wise, they are definitely on the bland side, as expected, but cardamom and nutmeg are the perfect spices for these. They are only slightly sweet.

And one bite really was enough to fill the stomach of a grown man. I ate one whole piece (about 2/3 the size of a PopTart) and I'm stuffed!

What would I do differently? Double the spices (at least) and add some vanilla.

My digital camera battery was dead, so I'm charging it right now so I can take a picture of them. I thought some might like to see how they look. Back soon with a picture!

CBumpkin · Jul 27, 2008

Here's the photo finish!

The top one is the first one I tried on the stovetop when the pan was too hot. The one on the right is the second one I tried on my stove's lowest setting, SIM(mer). I flipped it at 6 minutes.
The one on the left is one from a batch that I baked. It looks the best.

Texture-wise, they were all the same. Firm, but not hard on the outside and the texture of a molasses cookie on the inside. I don't think I'd make them again, though.

Robin · Jul 27, 2008

Cool! I'm gonna add vanilla and extra spices next time I make these. Of course, now you have me craving molasses cookies.

CBumpkin · Jul 27, 2008

Robin said:
Cool! I'm gonna add vanilla and extra spices next time I make these. Of course, now you have me craving molasses cookies.

LOL I had about the same enthusiasm for eating these as Sam and Frodo did. I'd consider trying them again with more spices, though. I wonder what the exact recipe they used for making them for the LOTR movies was? These certainly weren't all crisp and crumbly.

CBumpkin · Aug 7, 2008

Ok, Ok, I know I said I wasn't very enthusiastic about eating these, however, I put them in the fridge and they were too easy to just pull out and eat when I wanted something quick without cooking. Something to tide me over. (And tide me over they did.)

I've been missing that convenience and decided to make another batch! Only THIS time, I played around with the best spice of all! Chocolate! I made them the same way, only this time I left out the cardamom and added powdered bakers chocolate, increased the amount of sugar, added a pinch of salt, etc., and whipped out a batch.

As I'm eating these, I'm thinking, "I've had these before. I know I have! Where?" Then it dawned on me... I just made brownies (only denser because it was a dough)! :ROFL:

So, I took the rest of the batter, slapped it in the oven and a short while later - instant friend makers!

You'd think this Lembas bread would be best eaten hot, right? I honestly liked them (including the original recipe I made) after they sat in the refrigerator overnight.

Lembas recipe

Robin

What have I gotten myself into?

maxmordon

Penúltimo

Sarita

carpe noctem

Robin

What have I gotten myself into?

maxmordon

Penúltimo

L M Ashton

crazy spec fic writer

Ol' Fashioned Girl

Hand? What hand?

HorsebackWriter

Dream at a gallop!

CBumpkin

I can do this...

CBumpkin

I can do this...

HorsebackWriter

Dream at a gallop!

CBumpkin

I can do this...

Robin

What have I gotten myself into?

CBumpkin

I can do this...

CBumpkin

I can do this...