Coming Soon

The Official Wednesday Cookbook

Mari Mancusi, Jarrett Melendez

Re-create macabre meals from Nevermore Academy in the comfort of your own oh-so-normal kitchen with sixty recipes inspired by the hit series Wednesday.

You are cordially invited to enter the wrought-iron gates of the Nevermore Academy to discover its darkest culinary delights. These sixty remarkable recipes from our illustrious and historic community offer something for everyone, whether you crave meat like a werewolf or grapple with special culinary requirements (like an allergy to food with any color in it). Vegetarian and pescatarian offerings abound, as well as substitutes for dishes that use gluten, dairy, or ritualistic murder—with torturously tasty photographs for all the recipes.

We dare you to try:
• Wednesday’s Woeful Waffles (which are pitch black, of course)
• Enid’s rainbow-sprinkled . . . well, everything
• Morticia’s Magnetic Migas
• Gomez’s Black Heart Chicken Breast
• Edgar Allen Poe’tatoes
• Uncle Fester’s Famous Brain Roast

This tome also shares expert tips on how to entertain Nevermore Academy-style, so you can throw your own Rave’N Ball, Freaksgiving Feast, or Secret Society Social.

Join us at the Nevermore Academy table and prepare to eat like an Outcast.

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An excerpt from The Official Wednesday Cookbook

Curious what macabre culinary delights await you in The Official Wednesday Cookbook? Scroll down for a sneak peek at the recipe, "The Nightshade Society Poe Parfait."

Nightshade Society Poe Parfait

The Nightshade Society is proud of its legacy and exceptionally selective of its membership. We can’t just let any dorky denizen through our Edgar Allan Poe–guarded door. Luckily you won’t need to solve the riddles or even know the secret snaps to partake in our signature parfait, named after our illustrious alumnus. Evoking the colors of the Nevermore uniforms, this dessert has layers of ube custard, black cocoa sesame crumble, and ube whipped cream. It’s so good you won’t be able to keep it a secret from society for long.

Ingredients

CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE

3 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
11/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon ube extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

CRUMBLE

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons black cocoa powder
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
11/2 teaspoons black sesame paste
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 to 3 drops ube extract
Black sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions

1. Make the crème pâtissière: Whisk together the cornstarch, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucier or saucepan (a saucier works well here—the rounded bottom makes whisking easier). Whisk in the yolks, milk, and heavy cream until smooth.

2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened and begins to bubble, 8 to 10 minutes. At the 8-minute mark, stop whisking and watch for bubbling—the moment you see the first bubble, set a timer for 1 minute and whisk constantly. Once the timer goes off, remove from the heat.

3. Place the butter in a medium bowl. Pour the still-hot crème pâtissière through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl with the butter, using a rubber spatula to help push it through. Discard any solids.

4. Whisk the ube extract and vanilla into the crème pâtissière. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface of the crème pâtissière. Let cool slightly, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours.

5. Make the crumble: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.

6. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, sesame seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the black sesame paste and butter with a fork. Work the mixture with your hands, rubbing the butter into the dry mixture until lentil-to pea-size clumps form.

7. Scatter the crumble mixture over the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, gently toss with a heatproof spatula, then bake for 10 minutes longer until slightly darkened and dry. Transfer the sheet pan to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.

8. Make the whipped cream: Place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and ube extract in a large bowl. Beat with a handheld mixer, starting on low until the sugar is moistened, then increasing the speed to high until the mixture is thick and maintains soft peaks.

9. Remove the crème pâtissière from the fridge and whisk until smooth. Fill four 8-ounce

clear dessert glasses with alternating layers of crème pâtissière and crumble until the glasses

are full. Top with a dollop of ube whipped cream and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds.

Cook's Note

The crumble and crème pâtissière can both be made up to 3 days in advance. Store the crème pâtissière in an airtight container in the fridge, and store the crumble in an airtight container at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble. The whipped cream is best made the day of.