Relive the World of Enid Blyton With These Nostalgic Desserts from Her Books

Enid Blyton spun magic on paper and the food in her imaginative world was no exception. They made most of us want to go on an adventure of our own to just have a taste of what they were eating.

A prolific English children’s book writer, revered to date, Enid Blyton created magic with her words and wrote like no other writers of her time. Food, in particular, was a topic that was intricately woven into her narrative. Imaginary or ones from the real world, she wove enchantment with her words and made those reading salivate from her colorful descriptions of food.

While it is next to impossible to take a tour of Silky the fairy’s home, or go on a mission with the Famous Five, or even bother Mr. Plod from Noddy, we can, no doubt, revel in the desserts she spoke of in her imaginary world.

1. Shortbread

The “shortie” is a Scottish biscuit made from wheat, sugar, and butter. It makes an appearance in several of Enid Blyton’s books, as it is a staple in England. The texture is similar to the shortcrust pastry that is used for the base of tarts, quiches, and pies. This biscuit is sweet and high in fat content, so consider giving it a chocolatey twist by dipping it in melted dark chocolate. They go well with lemonade and fizzy beers or just your regular afternoon tea.

2. Google Buns (from The Magic Faraway Tree series)

Appearing alongside Google buns (not the search engine) pop cakes deserve a special mention from The Magic Faraway Tree series. The books chronicle the journeys of three siblings who venture into the woods near their home to have adventures with the magic folks living on the Magic Faraway Tree. While the treats appearing on the different lands on the Magic Faraway Tree are definitely worth mentioning, we want to talk about the Google Buns instead. Why? Because, unlike other fictional foods, these can be made. The children enjoyed this peculiar treat sitting on the tree branches, outside Moon-Face’s house. The buns were described as having a currant (a kind of raisin) in the center, filled with sherbet that frothed and filled your mouth when you bit into it.

3. Scones (from Noddy)

Big Ears was known for his scones in the Noddy books (and TV series as well). In fact, he was inseparable from them, and Noddy was often found visiting him when he was about to gorge on tea and scones. So what exactly are scones? They are baked goodies, an English staple also popular in Ireland, made with either oatmeal or wheat with a slight sweetness to it. Add dried fruit bits, chocolate chips, or nuts to it for a sweeter flavor. In one of her books, jam scones also make an appearance, and it should be a treat enjoyed by itself ideally.

4. Hot Cocoa and Bun Butter Jam (from The Secret Seven series)

Taking a leaf out of one of the Secret Seven series books, this combination pops up with other accompanying finger foods during high tea at Peter and Janet’s home. The Secret Seven club consists of Peter, Janet, Jack, Barbara, Pam, Colin, and George, who love their food, and high tea is also something that has been long popular in England. Bun butter jam is something that is widely available in Chennai and some locations across Tamil Nadu.

It’s easy; all you need to do is add a layer of butter, and then a layer of jam to a bun. You can toast the buns if you like yours warm. Add hot cocoa as a companion instead of your regular chai or coffee and you have something straight out of an Enid Blyton book right on your coffee table! The cocoa is a staple across Blyton’s books and should accompany any dessert that you might be indulging in from her book!

5. Macaroons (from The Famous Five series)

Dinner or supper was a lavish affair with ample food to gorge on in most Enid Blyton books. One such book features a lavish supper with an array of savory items and macaroons as one of the desserts. Not to be confused with the French macarons, which are colorful and shaped like a cookie sandwich. The world of Enid Blyton's crunchy and crumbly macaroons has a delicious description and is always bought or eaten fresh from the bakeries. They sometimes have chocolate added to them, making them a treat to truly savor.