The holidays are still going strong in the Wizarding World. On Nov. 29, Universal Studios Hollywood began its seasonal celebrations, which includes the return of the Frog Choir, The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle light show, and hot Butterbeer.
This year, Universal also added a Pumpkin Pasty to the Three Broomsticks menu. Before, the popular Harry Potter treat could only be found in the dessert case at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade, but now you can order it fresh and extra warm alongside your plate of fish and chips or English Holiday Dinner.
I made a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood at the beginning of December to check out the new holiday decor in Super Nintendo World and have my yearly visit with the Grinch. I was not expecting anything new from the Wizarding World, besides some Wicked-core green and pink holiday Hogwarts merch, so it was a surprise to see the pumpkin pasty finally made its way on the dessert menu after all these years.
As a pumpkin fan and Harry Potter stan, I just had to see how this Wizarding World treat ranks in comparison to all the ones I’ve tried before.
My Honest Review Of The Wizarding World Pumpkin Pasty
I’ve seen the pumpkin pasty in the case at Honeydukes, but it never looked that appealing when it’s just sitting out. That’s why I was utterly delighted to get a fresh-from-the-oven version at the Three Broomsticks.
The $7 pumpkin pasty on the dessert menu is available alongside other treats like the Sticky Toffee Pudding and Butterbeer Potted Cream, which I found to be underwhelming and too sweet, respectively. Luckily, this pumpkin-shaped pastry was the complete opposite. It was not too sweet, had just the right amount of spice, and tasted like a warm slice of pumpkin pie.
My favorite part was how hot it was served, which was nice on the cold day I visited Universal Studios. I got it alongside a warm Butterbeer, and both quickly made me feel all cozy and toasty. I also appreciate how much it looked like an orange pumpkin, so it got points for Insta-worthiness as well.
This was so good and I highly recommend it for Harry Potter fans and anyone who just loves pumpkin this time of year. I do think it’s a bit pricey for something I devoured so quickly, but high prices are expected in a theme park and I can’t wait to order this again. Just make sure you get it early. On the day I visited the park, it sold out around 4 p.m.
The pumpkin pasty is now my favorite treat from the Wizarding World and tops all of the Butterbeer concoctions I’ve tried, from fudge to ice cream.
How To Make A Pumpkin Pasty At Home
The pumpkin pasty was added to the Three Broomsticks menu for the holidays, and I hope it sticks around. If it doesn’t or you just want to make one for yourself at home, Where Is My Spoon has a recipe to follow. All you need is the following ingredients:
For The Pastry
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2-3 tablespoons very cold water
For The Filling
- 3.5 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of allspice
- a pinch of cardamom
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Start by mixing your pastry ingredients, and form your dough into two balls to refrigerate for two hours or overnight. You can also bypass this whole thing by getting ready-to-bake pastry dough. Once that’s ready, mix together your filling, roll out the dough, cut out pumpkin-shaped pieces, and spoon some of your filling into half of the pumpkins.
Cover your filled pumpkin doughs with a plain one and press the edges together. Brush with an egg wash of one egg yolk and milk before putting into the oven for 15 minutes at 400 F. Once your pumpkin pasties are out of the oven, let them cool for about five minutes before enjoying. Don’t wait too long, though. You want to eat them warm just like how they serve them at the Three Broomsticks.
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