Butterbeer

Yes, we found recipes for that famed drink of the Harry Potter world. We tried three different recipes and liked all of them for different reasons. There are 2 hot ones, which is how the "authentic" recipe from the books is served. There is a cold one based on the recipe being used at the Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios--it is officially endorsed by J.K. Rowling. I'm guessing a hot drink wouldn't go over too well in Florida. --Mark

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The Cold One

From http://www.chicaandjo.com/2010/08/12/butterbeer-recipe/

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 T powdered sugar

24 oz. cream soda

2 tsp vanilla butter and nut flavoring

Instructions:

Whisk cream and powdered sugar until firm, but still able to be poured.

Mix soda and flavoring. Pour into glasses. Top with about 1/2 inch of foam.

Notes:

We substituted melted butter and vanilla for the flavoring and it tasted pretty good. We wonder what it would have been like if we could have found the actual flavoring.

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From http://www.mugglenet.com/misc/rosmertas/butterbeer.shtml

Ingredients:

1 cup (8 oz) cream soda
½ cup (4 oz) butterscotch syrup (ice cream topping)
½ tablespoon butter

Instructions:

Measure butterscotch and butter into a 2 cup (16 oz) glass. Microwave on high for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until syrup is bubbly and butter is completely incorporated. Stir and cool for 30 seconds, then slowly mix in club soda. Mixture will fizz quite a bit. Serve in two coffee mugs or small glasses.

Notes:

We heated the butterscotch and butter over the stove until it was bubbly. We would have heated the cream soda slightly, or at least worked from room temperature.

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From: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/butterbeer-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butterscotch topping
2 tablespoons whipped butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups vanilla cream soda

Instructions:

Combine condensed milk, butterscotch topping, and butter in a glass heatproof measuring cup. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir until butter has melted and incorporated into mixture. Meanwhile heat cream soda in another heatproof measuring cup for 1 minute 30 seconds. Divide butterscotch mixture between 2 (10 to 12-ounce) mugs. Fill mugs with heated cream soda and stir thoroughly.

Notes:

Again, we heated everything on the stove and it worked really well.