Simple Stay-home Recipes: Elven Lembas Bread From Lord of the Rings

As much as baking is all about measurements, it’s also about having fun. Which is why we’ve decided to shake things up a little, and try our hand at making dishes inspired by films and television series.

These recipes may not be the most practical in your everyday life, but sometimes, we just want to let loose and have a little fun. And for the film buffs and fans out there, it’s sure to tickle your fancy.

As an avid reader and viewer of all things fantasy, I’m unabashedly a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy—both films and books. And as a food writer, I can’t help but take note of the food, fantastical as they may be.

Something that caught my attention was lembas, or Elven bread, or waybread. Wrapped in Mallorn leaves, just one bite of this super nutritious fantasy bread can fill the stomach of a grown man.

And when it’s offered to you by Orlando Bloom as Legolas, really, how can you resist?

Following a recipe I found on the LotR Scrapbook, I tried to recreate Elven Lembas Bread from Lord of the Rings. If you’re as much of a fangirl as I am, follow along and make your very own lembas!

Ingredients

• 300g of all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp of baking powder
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 113g of butter
• 68g of brown sugar
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• ½ tsp of honey
• 160ml of heavy whipping cream

Tools

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Knife
• Baking tray
• Oven

Recipe Preparation

Preparation time: 10 minutes; Cooking time: 12 minutes
Feeds three to four

• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
• Add the butter and mix well until it forms fine granules.
• Add the sugar and cinnamon, and mix them thoroughly.
• Add the cream, honey, and vanilla and stir until a nice, thick dough forms.
• Roll the dough out, about ½-inch (1.25cm) in thickness.
• Cut out 3-inch (7.62cm) squares and transfer the dough to a cookie sheet.
• Criss-cross each square from corner-to-corner with a knife, lightly (not cutting through the dough).
• Bake for about 12 minutes or more (depending on the thickness of the bread) until it is set and lightly golden.
• Let cool completely before eating, this bread tastes better room temperature and dry.
• (Optional) For more flavour, you can add more cinnamon or other spices.

Recipe (In Pictures)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 200°C.

Step 2: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.

Step 3: Add the butter and mix well until it forms fine granules.

Step 4: Add the sugar and cinnamon, and mix them thoroughly.

Step 5: Add the cream, honey, and vanilla and stir until a nice, thick dough forms.

Step 6: Roll the dough out, about ½-inch (1.25cm) in thickness.

Step 7: Cut out 3-inch (7.62cm) squares and transfer the dough to a cookie sheet.

Step 8: Criss-cross each square from corner-to-corner with a knife, lightly (not cutting through the dough).

Step 9: Bake for about 12 minutes or more (depending on the thickness of the bread) until it is set and lightly golden.

Step 10: Let cool completely before eating, this bread tastes better room temperature and dry.

Step 11: (Optional) For more flavour, you can add more cinnamon or other spices.

The beauty of fantasy food is that no one truly knows how it’s supposed to taste—which means you’re free to experiment and spice things up. For my first try, I followed the recipe fairly strictly, and I have to say, it turned out delightfully tasty.

With a decent crumb pattern, each bite of lembas filled my mouth with crumbly, sweet goodness. It reminded me slightly of shortbread cookies, but much lighter and airier; a cross of shortbread and ciabatta, if you will.

While I wouldn’t say that a small bite of this lembas would be enough to satiate my appetite, it certainly makes for a tasty teatime treat, or as a quick nibble for breakfast. Pair it with a strong brew of hot black tea, and you have a winning combination.

Try out this recipe for yourself, and let us know how it goes. If you have other film and TV-inspired recipes that you’d like us to try out, leave us a comment or drop us a message.

Expected Damage: S$4 – S$5 per portion (feeds 3 – 4 pax)