It's Thanksgiving, yes, but there's one other large event that our family is totally into. It doesn't have a thing to do with turkeys or mashed potatoes, but it captivates our hearts just the same. I'm talking of course about Harry Potter opening weekend and that my friends, starts today!
I've kept a close eye on the Butter Beer recipes that have been steadily popping up online but like Darla over at Bakingdom, I found them all to sound ridiculously sweet or too elaborate for a drink. And although I might be a fan, I'm not the "go see a movie at 12:01" kind of fan, so I was willing to hold out for a recipe that sounded delicious and I didn't have to brew up on my own.
For those who are into Harry Potter (or for those who aren't, tasty beverages hold no loyalty) Butter Beer is an imaginary, non-alcoholic warming beverage (or if you Google long enough, a pint of Michelob Light with a shot of butterscotch schnapps... which sounds truly... icky) that the characters in the books partake of.
Darla was able to head to Disney Universal when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter first opened and had herself a glass (or two) of this frosty beverage which she describes as " a cross between a butterscotchy cream soda and a root beer float."
Trying to keep the sweetness down, she only adds one simple ingredient to a regular cream soda which takes the taste over the top and makes this treat easy to make for those fanatics in your household, young and old alike. All you have to do is add a little butter extract! That's it!
• Get the recipe: Check out Bakingdom for the full low on on making your own.
But trust us when we say, you'll have this drink whipped up and consumed before you can find a theater that isn't already sold out! Don't forget to look for her recipe for double double chocolate cauldron cakes while you're there — a perfect match for this warming buttery beverage!
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(Image: Bakingdom)
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is at Universal Orlando (and not Disney). Also, I've heard that the butterbeer that is served in the park is overly sweet.
Thanks for this recipe. Ill have to they it out.
Also, just FYI, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter isn't at Disney World. It's at Universal Orlando, inside Islands of Adventure.
This looks pretty. But I prefer the "overly complicated" version at HistoricalFoods.com.... Three teaspoons of butter extract = yuck.
Butter extract??? I don't even want to know how that's made.
I always thought that butterbeer was slightly alcoholic... that's the impression I always had when reading the books at least. Didn't Dobby's little friend have a drinking problem because of butterbeer? Hahahaha I don't know, but this recipe sounds cute :)
Nerd-off! Butterbeer is definitely slightly alcoholic. There are multiple references to tipsyness after drinking it in the HP books, and a few in the films.
Ok, I'm embarrassed that I'm actually posting this...
sturgeongeneral- in the books it is. In the parks, its not.
I had the butterbeer at the park and all these recipes people keep trying to make up make my head hurt. You want it like at the park, try something like this (more complicated but also tastes closer)
Cream -
(Use a Pyrex measuring cup)
* Add 2 or so spoonfuls of regular (not fat free or extra creamy) Cool Whip. Microwave for 10 seconds and stir. You want enough to be at the 1/4 cup mark. To this, add a light (meaning clear, not the dark kind) corn syrup (Karo) til you hit between the 1/3 and 1/2 mark. – Add a tsp water. Add 2 drops of English Toffee Lorann Oil. Add 1/8 tsp baking soda. Set aside.
* The Lorann Oil is key here. Lorann oils are sold at candy and cake supply stores (i.e.- NOT Walmart/ Michaels, etc) and online. Its for flavoring hard candies. It’s super concentrated and only takes a drop or two but one taste and you’ll agree it’s not butterscotch or butter nut or plain butter flavor from the megamart.
The Drink –
(In cup you want to drink out of or stirred lightly in a pitcher)
* Add roughly 3 tbsp of Smuckers Butterscotch Syrup (yellow squeezy bottle) Add to this 1/8 tsp apple cider vinegar. Add a splash of COLD cream soda (If you have Barq’s French Vanilla cream soda near you, even better. I think that’s the base but its very hard to find). Stir the syrup up so itll mix with the rest of the cream soda when you pour. It should look cloudy brassy colored. Pour on the rest of the cream soda to the top of the glass and leave room.
* Spoon or pour the cream on top. Not too much, just a thin layer over the drink. Over time, it will foam up a bit like in the real version.
And yes, the drink in the park is probably about 2 times as sweet as a regular cream soda. It's also dairy free. Adding dairy reacts similar to a root beer float.
the movie was fun and good so now i'm in the mood to not only watch it again, but to make a cream soda float and call it good! maybe try a splash of butterscotch schnapps in there for good measure in honor of Winky (the elf with a drinking problem) and Dobby.
Furthering the nerdiness:
I actually don't think it is alcoholic in the books -- or rather it's only very mildly alcoholic, like kombucha. If the students aren't supposed to be drinking firewhiskey, I don't know why they'd be allowed butter beer.
And the character who gets drunk on butter beer is a tiny house elf:
"Winky is getting through six bottles a day now," Dobby whispered to Harry.
"Well, it's not that strong, that stuff," Harry said.
But Dobby shook his head. "'Tis strong for a house-elf, sir..."
Now allow me to go find someone to give me a wedgie and steal my lunch money.
I always thought butter beer would taste more like a butterynipple shot only fizzy. will have to try this or come up with a more adult recipe ;)
Blast. I just made a different recipe this week to get in the mood for this weekend but it was SUPER sweet and complicated. Wish I would have seen this recipe first!
I've had many an HP party, and I always make it with cream soda and butterscotch schnapps. It sounds kind of gross, but trust me, it's pretty delicious - and easy!
This is so funny. I just went there yesterday and had two glasses of butterbeer. If you're a fan, you have to go! I didn't even walk around the rest of the park. All I cared about was the Harry Potter section. I've been trying to find a way to describe butterbeer since I tried it yesterday, and I was thinking it was like a butterscotch cream soda, so the description is pretty accurate. I don't know how I feel about adding butter extract to cream soda.
Okay, so we made this tonight and its DELISH. If you just put a spoonfull of the whipped cream on top and then mix it all together and you get the most delish drink of all time ever. Seriously. Everyone loved it. HOWEVER: we used vanilla butter and nut extract. WAY more spot on with the taste. Its hard to find, but so so worth it.
For a historical version of butter beer (with booze), check out the Heston Blumenthal recipe...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/14/heston-blumenthal-christmas-recipes
I had a butterbeer at the bar near the movie theater last night. Their version was butterscotch vodka and cream soda. Not something I'd drink much of, nor as tasty as it was in my imagination, but a fun way to celebrate love of all things HP.