Lord Of The Rings-Inspired Lembas Bread Recipe

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is primarily a work of high fantasy (it could be said to define the genre as it currently exists). It doesn't make our list of top food fiction books, but it deserves a more than honorable mention as a book series where the characters — especially the hobbits — enjoy their food. And, it has inspired restaurants, such as Houston's Hobbit Cafe and fantasy-themed bars like Philadelphia's The Cauldron and Treebeerd's Taphouse in Portland, Oregon.

Among the various dishes mentioned in the LOTR trilogy are cakes and tea, rabbit stew, and bacon cooked with mushrooms, but one of the most memorable dishes that was created especially for the series is the lembas bread, a.k.a. elven or waybread, that was given to the fellowship in Lothlórien. Apart from the fact that lembas bread is supposed to be strengthening and long-lasting with a sweet taste and wafer-like texture, we're not given many hints as to possible ingredients. As developer Jessica Morone imagines the recipe, it "has a rich, warm, and slightly sweet flavor profile, with hints of cinnamon and honey complemented by the nutty crunch of walnuts." She also prefers to make hers moist and tender by using oil and heavy cream in the mix, although she says it has "just enough density to make it feel substantial."

The base of this lembas bread recipe is a dough made from both all-purpose and whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. It's flavored with cinnamon, honey, and vanilla extract, gets richness from heavy cream, and has a little crunch courtesy of chopped walnuts.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, mix together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Pour in the vegetable oil, honey, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add in about half of the flour mixture and half of the heavy cream and mix together, then add in the rest of each and mix until a thick dough forms.

Mix in the walnuts until well combined.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is ½-inch thick.

Cut the dough into 3x3-inch squares.

Place the cut-out dough on the prepared baking sheet.

Cut a shallow "X" shape into the top of each square.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–14 minutes, until the edges are golden.

Let cool slightly, then serve, wrapped in banana leaves, if desired.

In the LOTR-verse, lembas bread is a recipe known only to the elves and has been passed down from ancestor to ancestor ever since the First Age. It's rarely shared with non-elves, so the Fellowship should have been honored with the gift. Sam and Frodo, who had to survive off lembas bread for an extended journey, did seem to get a bit sick of the stuff. But then, you can always have too much of a good thing. It's thought that the idea of a long-lasting, sustaining bread was based on hard tack, something J.R.R. Tolkien may have been familiar with from his time spent in military service during World War I.

Our up-to-date lembas bread appeals to more modern sensibilities, although it mixes in some whole wheat flour as a nod to lembas bread's healthy properties and also includes nutritious ingredients, such as honey and walnuts. Most of the focus is on flavor, however, and the included butter and cream make the bread's texture soft and tender rather than super-sturdy. The banana leaves, too, are meant as a whimsical, decorative analog to the leaf wrappers used by the elves. These were sourced from a beech-type tree called mallorn and were said to preserve the bread for months at a time. Our lembas bread may not be meant for such long treks, but it's perfect for armchair adventurers who enjoy re-reading Tolkien's masterpiece or binge-watching the movie series.

One way to enjoy this lembas bread would be as a breakfast treat (or second breakfast, for hobbits). It can either be toasted or warmed in the microwave and then spread with butter and maybe a smear of jam or honey. A cup of coffee or tea would make for a nice accompaniment, and the bread would also pair well with milk, juice, or hot chocolate.

For lunch, you could turn the lembas bread into an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich by topping it with melted brie, gouda, or Swiss — a slice of deli ham wouldn't be amiss, either. Lembas bread could be layered with cream cheese, mixed with chopped dates and walnuts, and sliced into finger sandwiches for afternoon tea, which is another meal dear to the hearts of hobbits. It could also be added to a cheese board along with some nuts and fresh fruit as a savory after-dinner course or served alongside our almond-flavored panna cotta with date syrup and grilled figs for a delightful dessert.