Hobbit Day Dinner Feast
These crown and cottage loafs are probably my favorite part of this feast. My intentions were to just make simple dinner rolls but as I was looking through my cookbooks for inspiration, I came upon these two recipes from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible – the crown loaf and white cottage loaf. Both recipes were very simple and easy to make and it just looked perfect on the dinner table. While I made these exact to her recipe, I imagine some seeds thrown on top with be amazing! Also, after all the photographs, I made myself a sandwich with the bread and the roast chicken and gravy and OH MY GOODNESS, it was incredible.
I’ve seen made variations of the crown loaf before but I’ve never seen of heard of the white cottage loaf. After a bit of digging online, there are a few theories on how it got it’s distinctive shape but most popular explanation is that it helped conserve space in the oven. It’s quite clever because this reminds me of Thanksgiving or Christmas when everyone is clamoring for space in the oven. Regardless, this is such a fun loaf to have on the dinner table and a delicious way to mop up the juices from the roasts.
Check back soon for more recipes for my Hobbit Day dinner feast! Please let me know in the comments how you celebrate Hobbit Day. I’m so curious if any you guys had any traditions. Please enjoy!
Crown and Cottage Loaf recipe – Feast for a Hobbit
A Feast Fit For a Hobbit – Hobbit Day
Crown and Cottage Loaf - Feast for Hobbits
Ingredients
Crown Loaf
- 12 oz bread flour 350g / 2 3/4 cups
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 oz unsalted butter, melted 20g / 1 1/2 tbsp
- 8 oz warm water 225ml / 1 cup
- milk as needed to glaze
White Cottage Loaf
- 1 pound bread flour 450g / 4 cups
- 1 packet instant yeast 7g
- 1 1/2 oz unsalted butter, melted 40g / 3 tbsp
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz warm water 300ml / 1 cup
- 1 lightly beaten for glaze
Instructions
Crown Loaf
- Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan and set aside.
- In mixing bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, and salt on medium speed with a dough hook just until well combined. Add the melted butter and warm water and mix on medium speed until it forms a ball of dough. Knead for another 4-5 minutes by hand or for 4 minutes on medium speed.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm area for one hour or until doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place 4 in the center and the rest on the outer circle of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area for 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Glaze the loaf with a bit of milk then bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow it to cool in the pan then remove it from the tin.
Cottage Loaf
- In a mixing bowl with a dough attachment, mix together the flour salt, and yeast on medium speed just until combined. Add the butter and warm water and mix on medium speed until it forms into a ball of dough. Knead for another 4-5 minutes by hand on a lightly flour surface or for another 4 minutes on medium speed on the mixer.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place it a warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut off 1/4 of the dough and roll it into a ball. Roll the larger piece of dough into a ball and place it on a baking sheet. Place the small ball of dough on top. Lightly flour the handle of a wooden spoon and push the handle into the center of both balls until it hits the baking sheet. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and place it into a warm area for 40 minutes or until it doubles in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Brush the loaf with the lightly beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
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