Weasley Twins' Canary Creams Recipe

Elizabeth from Book YAbber, Marci from The Plot Bunny and I will be sharing some delicious Harry Potter recipes today. Each of us will be showcasing a different recipe so make sure you check Elizabeth's and Marci's blogs! For those who are following Pottermas 2016, make sure to check out the introduction here. Also, follow us with the hashtag #Pottermas16.

Fred and George Weasley made wonderful Canary Creams in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I don't know if you recall but Neville ate one of these delicacies and ended up turning into a yellow canary for a full minute before turning back into his normal self. A Canary Cream is a Custard Cream that turns the person who eat the biscuit into a canary.

This recipe is very simple and tasty. These Canary Creams are huge and if you love shortbread, you will love these Canary Creams! Have a Canary Cream and a cuppa of tea! Don't worry, no canaries were harmed in making the Canary Creams and taste testers have confirmed that you will not turn into a canary.

WEASLEY TWINS' CANARY CREAMS

Adapted from Christina's Cucina's Custard Creams recipe
(yields 16 sandwiched cookies)

Ingredients

Cookies/Biscuits
2 2/3 cups (12 oz) flour
1 cup (4 oz) custard powder (I used Bird’s Custard Powder)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (4 oz) powdered/confectioners sugar

Cream Filling

1/2 stick (2 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup (4 oz) powdered/confectioners sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
A couple drops yellow food dye (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (345°F for convection oven)
2. Grease baking sheets lightly with butter. You can use baking parchment paper or Silpat instead if desired.
3. Sift the flour, custard powder and baking soda into a bowl and set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl for about 3 minutes. Add the sifted flour, custard and baking soda and mix well.
5. Form 1-inch diameter dough balls and place on baking sheets. Make sure to leave room for the cookies to expand. 
6. Press each ball with a fork into the top of each cookie ball, once vertically and once horizontally to create a cross hatch pattern.
7. Place the baking sheets in the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes until the bottoms turn slightly golden in color. 
8. Remove baking sheets from the oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely on cooling rack.
9. While the cookies are cooling, start making the cream filling by creaming the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. If needed, add a couple of drops of milk if the filling is too thick. At this time, add a drop or two of food coloring. The filling should be creamy like frosting. 
10. Spread cream filling on the bottom of one cookie and place the bottom of another cookie on top to make a filled cookie sandwich. Repeat process until all the cookies have been filled.
11. You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. Hint: These will make great gifts!

Have a biscuit, Potter!

Custard cookies can be eaten separately as well! 

What are some of your favorite Harry Potter recipes? Have you tried custard creams before? What is your favorite Harry Potter food/sweet? Leave your comments below!