Read A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook (A Song of Ice and Fire) Online

Authors: Chelsea Monroe-Cassel,Sariann Lehrer

A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook (A Song of Ice and Fire) (5 page)

Modern Applecakes

Makes 8 jumbo muffins
Prep: 15 minutes
Baking: 30 minutes

Pairs well with
Breakfast on the Wall
,
Honeyed Chicken
, cold milk

Essentially apple coffeecake muffins, these have crumble tops with a crunch that contrasts with the softness of the cake itself. The apples melt as they bake, imbuing the cake with an incredible moistness and apple flavor.

For the Cake:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

2 to 3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced

For the Topping:

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the cups of a jumbo muffin pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with sour cream and mixing well after each addition. Stir in the apples. Scrape the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup two-thirds full.

For the topping, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly, then stir in the nuts. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter-filled cups, pressing gently to mix it with the cake. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Buns with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Apple

“Eat,” Jon told him. “There’s no knowing when you’ll have another chance.” He took two buns himself. The nuts were pine nuts, and besides the raisins there were bits of dried apple
.
—A STORM OF SWORDS

Elizabethan Buns with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Dried Apple

Take a peck of pure Wheat-flower, six pound of Currans, halfe a pound of Sugar, two pound of Butter, halfe an ounce of Cloves and Mace, a pint and a halfe of
Ale-yeast, and a little Rose-water; then boyle as much new-milk as will serve to knead it, and when it is almost cold, put into it as much Sack as will thicken it, and so work it all together before a fire, pulling it two or three times in pieces, after make it up.
—THE COMPLEAT COOK, 1671

Makes 12 buns
Prep: 45 minutes
Dough rising: 1 hour
Baking: 15 minutes

Pairs well with
Beef and Bacon Pie
,
Salad at Castle Black
, and
Mulled Wine

These buns are made using a Banbury cake recipe. Banbury cakes are steeped in history and are thought to have been brought back to England during the Crusades. Their beautiful appearance belies their rugged durability; these buns are tasty high-energy food, sure to keep you warm while you range beyond the Wall.

For the Dough:

1 egg yolk

⅓ cup dark ale, room temperature

2 teaspoons yeast

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

3¼ cups flour

⅓ cup milk

⅓ cup cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground mace

Splash of rosewater (optional)

For the Filling:

3 cups currants

⅓ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground mace

1 apple, chopped fine

⅓ cup pine nuts

For the Glaze:

1 egg white, lightly beaten

⅓ cup raw sugar

To make the dough, whisk together the egg yolk, ale, and yeast, and place the bowl in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and cream together with 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Pour the warmed milk, yeast mixture, and rosewater (if using) into the flour and mix together to form a dough. Knead the dough for 30 seconds, place it in a bowl, cover it with a tea towel, and let it rise for 1 hour.

To make the filling, take 5 ounces of the risen dough and put it in a food processor. Add 1 cup of the currants, the brown sugar, and the ½ teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Pulse the mixture to combine it, pour it out into a bowl, and stir in the remaining currants, the apple, and the pine nuts.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease a large baking sheet. Cut the dough into
quarters. Roll one piece into a long rectangle ⅛ inch thick. Cut the rectangle into three smaller rectangles. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the middle of a rectangle and fold up the sides, pinching them together to seal. Once the bun is formed, gently fashion it into an oblong shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, placing the completed buns on the greased baking sheet.

Brush the bun tops with the egg white and sprinkle them with the raw sugar. Slash the top of each bun three times and bake them for 15 minutes. These buns are wonderful served warm, but can also be cooled and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Modern Buns with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Apple

Makes around 20 buns
Prep: 15 minutes
Dough Rising: 2½ hours total
Baking: 40 minutes

Pairs well with
Breakfast on the Wall
,
Mutton in Onion-Ale Broth
, cold milk

These buns are a liberal interpretation of the baked goods described in the book. The brothers of the Night’s Watch are probably not served gooey cinnamon rolls … but they are so delicious and bursting with tasty morsels that, after one bite, you’ll forgive the liberties we’ve taken.

For the Dough:

¾ cup whole milk

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

About 4 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

2¼ teaspoons dry yeast (1 packet)

1 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

1 apple, cored, peeled, and diced

⅓ cup raisins

¼ cup coarsely chopped pine nuts

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

For the Icing (optional):

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

4 to 5 tablespoons milk

Combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan and scald the mixture, bringing it to just under a boil before transferring it to a large bowl and letting it cool to body temperature. Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, eggs, yeast, and salt. Add up to 3 additional cups of flour until the dough can be kneaded. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if it is sticky, for about 8 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.

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