CHOCOLATE FROGS

While the wizarding world of J. K. Rowling never fails to capture my imagination, perhaps one of the most enchanting parts of that world is the imagery surrounding wizard candy.

Could these magical sweets ever be replicated in this world, I am sure many young muggles would be wanting to try a Sugar Quill, or even an Exploding Bonbon. And the actual creation of Toothflossing Stringmints would be both practical and fun. Sadly, we have yet to find the recipe for a chocolate frog, but one can still daydream. In the meantime, for those of us who are magically challenged, I have a few simple ideas to make your own wizard sweets and candy, starting with the ever-popular chocolate frog.

INGREDIENTS AND THINGS

Try a nice dark chocolate, one with over 70% Croakoa is preferable, and more authentic.

YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
Baking paper
Plastic ziplock bag
Printer and paper
Card paper

Find a good template for the box... I found mine here:
foodinliterature.com

Method

Melt your chocolate using the double boiler method, then place it into the plastic ziplock bag. Cut a tiny hole in one corner of the bag, this is how you will pipe out the chocolate.

Pipe the chocolate in frog shapes onto your baking paper and let it cool.

Print out your boxes from the template, assemble and decorate them as you wish, then make up some Wizard cards to put inside.

““What are these.” Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.

“They’re not really frogs, are they.” He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.

“No,” said Ron. “But see what the card is. I’m missing Agrippa.”

“What?”

“Oh, of course, you wouldn’t know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I’ve got about five hundred, but I haven’t got Agrippa or Ptolemy.” Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man’s face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name: Albus Dumbledore.”

— Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

BERTIE BOTT'S EVERY FLAVOUR BEAN

These variously flavoured jelly beans were invented by Bertie Bott, and are advertised as being 'A Risk With Every Mouthful.' They seem to be one of the odder sweets of the Wizarding World, and the flavours encompass everything from: Almond to Watermelon, Earthworm to Mushroom, and Toast to Earwax.

You can make your own boxes of every-flavour beans using Jelly Belly beans, but unfortunately the risk is lessened as all the disgusting flavours have not been created yet. Find a good box template, I got mine here: Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans Template.

““You want to be careful with these. When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour - you know you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a bogey-flavoured one once.””

— Ron Weasley - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

““Ah! Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans! I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit-flavoured one. And since then, I’m afraid I’ve lost my liking for them. But I think I could be safe with a nice toffee... Hum! Alas! Earwax.””

— Albus Dumbledore - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

OTHER IDEAS

COCKROACH CLUSTERS

These unappetising sweets could be made in a variety of ways, and while they are supposed to look like peanuts, I have gone for a more crunchy-cockroach effect by pouring melted chocolate onto broken pretzels. Let it cool, and you have a particularly tasty snack.

LICORICE WANDS

Licorice wands are not much use for casting spells, but they make a great treat. Better yet, they are easy to create. To make some, simply dip your licorice sticks in chocolate, and maybe add a few swirls of sprinkles. Cast the Glacius spell, and they will cool in a flash.

MORE, YOU SAY?

The world of wizard sweets does not start with Chocolate frogs and stop with Every Flavoured Beans, and luckily the books do describe a plethora of magical food items, many of which are only mentioned once or twice - sparking the imagination, yet providing no set template. So what are you waiting for? These inventions need a creator, and you could be the first person to make a proper Canary Cream, or Pepper Imp.

A LIST OF AS-YET UNREALISED MAGICAL SWEETS:

Cauldron Cakes

Sherbet Lemons

Fizzing Whizzbees

Pumpkin Pasties

Drooble's Best Blowing Gum

Sugar Quills

Acid Pops

Exploding Bonbons

Toothflossing Stringmints

Caramel Cobwebs

Chocolate Wands

Hiccough Sweets

Peppermint Toads

Sugar Mice

Canary Creams

Pepper Imps

LOVELY LUNA

The world of fiction is full of quirky characters, and while Dumbledore may be my favourite character from the ubiquitous Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood has to come in at a close second.

In many ways, the character of Luna reminds me of my younger self: a bit of a daydreamer; an oddball with many fancies, beliefs, ideas. Someone you would describe as 'off with the fairies.'

More recently, I have been wanting to get back in touch with that younger self of mine. Luna inspires me, with her bare feet, her love for life, her belief in the unseen, and her acceptance of others.

So here's to the Luna's of the world...