It’s a long wait between second breakfast and luncheon as any hungry hobbit knows! Our hobbit feast continues with elevenses – a late morning snack of white braided bread with whipped brie, berries, and honey.
Elevenses
When you’re a hungry hobbit, that break between second breakfast and luncheon can seem like an eternity. So why not indulge in a late morning refreshment! Our hobbit feast continues with a lavish woodland feast served promptly at eleven o’clock. Soft white braided bread with whipped brie, berries, and honey. The inspiration for this next hobbit meal comes directly from the novels.
Tom Bombadil
Peter Jackson’s controversial decision to omit the much beloved Tom Bombadil from the Lord of the Rings films caused a stir among long-time Tolkien fans. While I completely understand his reasoning, it was nonetheless disappointing. Today we are righting that wrong and bringing Tom Bombadil back to his rightful place.
Not much is known about the origins of Tom Bombadil other than he is one of the oldest beings in Middle Earth. He appears as a jolly old man with yellow boots, a blue coat, and a long brown beard. Interestingly, he appears to be one of the only beings in Middle Earth to withstand the power of the One Ring. Clearly, he has many secrets!
The mysterious Tom Bombadil comes in at a crucial time – Pippin and Merry have been trapped by Old Man Willow in the Old Forest. After saving the hobbits, Tom invites them to his house. There, his lovely wife Goldberry lays out a sumptuous forest feast:
“Here’s my Goldberry clothed all in silver-green with flowers in her girdle! Is the table laden? I see yellow cream and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered. Is that enough for us? Is the supper ready?”
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil)
This delightful meal of soft, white braided bread topped with berries, honey and brie is the perfect light snack for elevenses – just enough to tide any hungry hobbit over until luncheon!
Ingredient Notes for Elevenses
Yeast: I developed this recipe using traditional active dry yeast.
Eggs: This is considered an enriched dough bread. Enriched doughs are softer and have a more tender crumb. They have a higher fat content than traditional bread dough in part due to the egg yolks. The fat inhibits gluten formation which contributes to this softer dough.
Milk: I used 2% milk in this recipe.
Honey: This bread dough is sweetened with honey. If you prefer, you can substitute with an equal amount of sugar. Finally, a drizzle of honey over the cheese and berry topped bread adds the perfect sweet finish to this dish.
Whipped Brie: This is one of my all-time favourite recipes. Always a crowd pleaser, this decadent spread is the ideal topper for our Tom Bombadil inspired meal. Light, creamy, and oh-so-buttery, this whipped cheese is so rich it almost counts as both the butter and cheese in Goldberry’s dinner. Fold in some chopped, fresh herbs such as thyme or savoury.
Berries: While I typically top this whipped brie with just a drizzle of honey, fresh berries add a delightfully sweet and tangy pop of flavour!
How to Make White Braided Bread with Whipped Brie, Berries, and Honey for Elevenses
Begin by making the bread.
Activate the yeast
Heat ½ cup of water to between 105 and 115 deg F. Add the sugar and the active dry yeast. Stir briefly and then set aside for the yeast to activate.
When the yeast is bubbly and risen, after about 5 minutes, proceed with the recipe. If the yeast has not activated and isn’t bubbly, then the yeast is no longer alive and needs to be discarded.
Make the dough
I like to use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to make this dough, but you can certainly mix and knead this dough by hand if you prefer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the melted butter, two beaten eggs, honey, and the yeast mixture and stir together. Add the flour and salt and attach the dough hook.
Mix, using the dough hook, until the dough starts to come together. Scrape down the sides occasionally to encourage the dough to come together. If the dough is too sticky and sticks to the side without forming a ball, then add another tablespoon of flour. I usually need to do this when making this recipe.
Continue mixing with a dough hook for about 10 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. This process will develop the gluten that is necessary for the bread to hold its shape so don’t rush it.
After 10 minute or so of kneading, take the dough out and lightly knead a couple of times on the counter to bring it together into a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Drizzle a little more oil on top of the dough and rub it all over the dough. Cover with cling film or a tea towel and then set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
Shape the braided bread
After the dough has risen for 1 hour, punch it down to deflate completely. Lightly knead the dough to remove any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half.
You can braid this bread several ways. The easiest is to make a simple 3-strand braid. Pictured here is a 4-strand braid.
To make a 3-strand braid: Divide one half of the dough into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. You may find it easier to do this in stages. Begin by rolling each piece into a thick rope then set aside and work on the other pieces. Go back to the first piece and roll it out longer until the rope is about an inch in diameter. Roll each end of the ropes into very tapered ends.
Pinch together the three ropes by one of their tapered ends and tuck under. Begin to braid the three stands together. Pinch together the tapered ends when you reach the end and tuck under the braid. Transfer the braid to a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
To make a 4-strand braid: Divide one half of the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. You may find it easier to do this in stages. Begin by rolling each piece into a thick rope then set aside and work on the other pieces. Go back to the first piece and roll it out longer until the rope is about an inch in diameter. Roll each end of the ropes into very tapered ends.
Pinch together the four ropes by one of their tapered ends and tuck under. Begin to braid the dough. To braid with four strands, remember that you always start with the rope on the far right. Pick up the right strand and weave it over then under then over the remaining ropes. Then go back to the far right rope and weave it over then under then over the remaining ropes.
Repeat, always going back to the far right rope, until you reach the end of the braid. Pinch together the tapered ends when you reach the end and tuck under the braid. Transfer the braid to a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Second rising
Cover the braids with tea towels and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Bake the white braided bread
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Prepare an egg wash by beating together 1 egg and a splash of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over each braid. The egg wash will give a shiny, golden crust.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a deep golden brown. I like to take the bread out after 15 minutes to brush the white parts of the braid with the egg wash – the centre of the braid will expand with baking and be pale in colour.
The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting.
Assemble the dish for Elevenses
Prepare the Whipped Brie using my recipe while making the bread. To serve for Elevenses, ensure the bread is completely cool – too warm and it may melt the brie. Spread the whipped brie on each slice. Top with assorted berries and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
A Hobbit’s Feast
- First Breakfast: Savoury Dutch Baby with Tomatoes, Sausages, and Bacon
- Second Breakfast: Wild Mushrooms on Cheese Toast
- Elevenses: White Braided Bread with Whipped Brie, Berries, and Honey
- Luncheon: Beef, stout and barley soup, Ploughman’s Lunch, and Blackberry Almond Tart with Honey Whipped Mascarpone
- Afternoon Tea: Miruvor, Lavender Lembas bread, and Spiced Mead Honey Cake
- Dinner: Cider Braised Rabbit with Herbs
- Supper: Beer-Battered Fish and Chips
- Dessert: Hazelnut Meringue Cake with Strawberries and Cream
Let me know what you think about the recipe, or hobbit food generally!
Follow along on Instagram @rhubarbandlavender for my Hobbit’s Feast reel series, and make sure to tag me if you make one of my recipes!
