Butterbeer Inspired by J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Ever since I read Harry Potter, I’ve wanted to go to Hogwarts.
Of course, I’d resigned myself to the fact that that wasn’t going to happen for a long time. I never got my letter, though we all know that’s not due to my lack of magicalness. Voldemort was in power during the 90’s, so a lot of muggle born records were destroyed, which explains my lack of letter: They don't have my address. I have yet to stumble upon a portkey that will take me to Hogwarts and Amazon does not sell working floo powder (huge mistake, guys).
But then something awesome happened. Universal Studios Hollywood opened up Harry Potter World. I finally got to go to Hogwarts!
It was amazing. The castle was magnificent, Hogsmead rocked, and the Forbidden Journey was one of the best rides I’ve ever been one (Note: If you want to hear more about the Harry Potter World in Hollywood, my review is coming soon to Constant Collectible. Stay tuned!).
But that’s all secondary. I’m sure you all have one question you need answered: How was the butterbeer?
Magical.
I took note of the flavor and went home to try to make my own. After all, my book of the month is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , the first book that Butterbeer makes an appearance in.
For those of you deprived muggles who have not read The Prisoner of Azkaban or perhaps have forgotten it’s storyline, here’s a quick overview:
For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the dementors heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."
Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.
I like this book for a lot of reasons: the Marauder’s Map, the awesomeness of Hippogriffs, the quidditch matches, and the mention of Butterbeer.
But I like it for more sirius reasons, too (sorry, horrible Harry Potter joke. I’ll do better, I promise). I love Lupin’s quiet strength and bravery in the face of a difficult ailment, Rowling’s advice as to how to fend of Dementors has helped me a lot, and Ron’s “Don’t let the muggle get you down” will forever be a mantra of mine. I’m in awe of Rowling’s ability to create a story that is both fantastical and down-to-earth.
So, in honor of this book and Rowling’s brilliance, I’d like to share a recipe for Butterbeer with you.
It is made in three parts: first, a butterscotch syrup must be brewed, then cream soda must be conjured, then some whipped cream summoned. Here we go:
Butterscotch syrup:
Ingredients - 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar1/2 cup of heavy cream4 tablespoons of unsalted butter1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (traditionally, butterscotch doesn't have cinnamon, but I added it to this one because I thought it would help give the Butterbeer the "warm" feel described in the books. Also, cinnamon rules.) 1/2 teaspoon of himalayan salt (or sea salt) Directions -
1. Solemnly swear that you are up to no good. This is an essential step. Do NOT skip it.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. In a bowl, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. You'll want to have your vanilla all measured out and ready to go. You'll also want to procure a stickiness-repellant wand or a rubber spatula to stir. I used a spatula after Umbridge's own heart:
3. Once the butter is melted, add the brown sugar mixture to the pan. Once the mixture is wet, add the heavy cream. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil, scraping sides and bottom of the pan occasionally. Allow to boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Once it begins to thicken, remove from heat.
4. Add vanilla extract, then transfer to a container to cool (I used a mason jar). The syrup will thicken considerably while cooling.
This stuff is delicious. I would have eaten it all if it hadn't been necessary for the rest of the recipe. Snape thought that it was a poison hexed to make people want to eat it, but soon came around.
Cream soda:
I attempted to make this from scratch, but failed miserably. I'm not sure why. I suspect the nargles. Being a highly-intelligent Ravenclaw, I quickly came up with a solution: Go to the store and buy ready-made cream soda. I recommend getting an all-natural kind, since those tend to have less sugar. I used Virgil's and liked the way it turned out.
Whipped cream:
Ingredients - 1 cup of heavy cream2 teaspoons of butterscotch syrup Sugar to taste (optional)Directions -
1. In a chilled bowl, whip together the heavy cream, butterscotch syrup, and sugar (if wanted). Whip until stiff peaks form.
2. Try not to fling cream all over the counter while beating it. I may have failed this step.
Assemble Butterbeer:
1. In a small bowl, pour one bottle (12 oz) of cream soda. Gently whisk in 2 teaspoons of butterscotch syrup. Over-wisk and you'll lose the fizziness.
2. Pour this concoction into a mug and top with the whipped cream.
Mischief managed! You now have Butterbeer that tastes glorious and is very similar to the one at Universal Studios, though not quite so sweet.
Even Snape thought it was good.
It tastes of sunshine and Harry Potter books. In fact, drinking Butterbeer fills a person with so much happiness that I don't think even Dementors would be able to suck it all away. It's basically Dementor repellant.
Have you ever made or drank Butterbeer? Did you like it? What do you think of
Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Azkaban
? Tell me about some of your favorite parts in the comment section below!
Related articles:
Mrs. Weasley's Chocolate Fudge Inspired by Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone
Pumpkin Juice Inspired by J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gluten and Dairy Free Seed-cake, Apple-tart, and Nut Round Recipes Inspired by The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienSaveSave
Of course, I’d resigned myself to the fact that that wasn’t going to happen for a long time. I never got my letter, though we all know that’s not due to my lack of magicalness. Voldemort was in power during the 90’s, so a lot of muggle born records were destroyed, which explains my lack of letter: They don't have my address. I have yet to stumble upon a portkey that will take me to Hogwarts and Amazon does not sell working floo powder (huge mistake, guys).
But then something awesome happened. Universal Studios Hollywood opened up Harry Potter World. I finally got to go to Hogwarts!
It was amazing. The castle was magnificent, Hogsmead rocked, and the Forbidden Journey was one of the best rides I’ve ever been one (Note: If you want to hear more about the Harry Potter World in Hollywood, my review is coming soon to Constant Collectible. Stay tuned!).
But that’s all secondary. I’m sure you all have one question you need answered: How was the butterbeer?
Magical.
I took note of the flavor and went home to try to make my own. After all, my book of the month is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , the first book that Butterbeer makes an appearance in.
For those of you deprived muggles who have not read The Prisoner of Azkaban or perhaps have forgotten it’s storyline, here’s a quick overview: For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the dementors heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."
Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.
I like this book for a lot of reasons: the Marauder’s Map, the awesomeness of Hippogriffs, the quidditch matches, and the mention of Butterbeer.
But I like it for more sirius reasons, too (sorry, horrible Harry Potter joke. I’ll do better, I promise). I love Lupin’s quiet strength and bravery in the face of a difficult ailment, Rowling’s advice as to how to fend of Dementors has helped me a lot, and Ron’s “Don’t let the muggle get you down” will forever be a mantra of mine. I’m in awe of Rowling’s ability to create a story that is both fantastical and down-to-earth.
So, in honor of this book and Rowling’s brilliance, I’d like to share a recipe for Butterbeer with you.
It is made in three parts: first, a butterscotch syrup must be brewed, then cream soda must be conjured, then some whipped cream summoned. Here we go:
Butterscotch syrup: Ingredients - 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar1/2 cup of heavy cream4 tablespoons of unsalted butter1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (traditionally, butterscotch doesn't have cinnamon, but I added it to this one because I thought it would help give the Butterbeer the "warm" feel described in the books. Also, cinnamon rules.) 1/2 teaspoon of himalayan salt (or sea salt) Directions -
1. Solemnly swear that you are up to no good. This is an essential step. Do NOT skip it.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. In a bowl, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. You'll want to have your vanilla all measured out and ready to go. You'll also want to procure a stickiness-repellant wand or a rubber spatula to stir. I used a spatula after Umbridge's own heart:
3. Once the butter is melted, add the brown sugar mixture to the pan. Once the mixture is wet, add the heavy cream. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil, scraping sides and bottom of the pan occasionally. Allow to boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Once it begins to thicken, remove from heat.
4. Add vanilla extract, then transfer to a container to cool (I used a mason jar). The syrup will thicken considerably while cooling.This stuff is delicious. I would have eaten it all if it hadn't been necessary for the rest of the recipe. Snape thought that it was a poison hexed to make people want to eat it, but soon came around.
Cream soda: I attempted to make this from scratch, but failed miserably. I'm not sure why. I suspect the nargles. Being a highly-intelligent Ravenclaw, I quickly came up with a solution: Go to the store and buy ready-made cream soda. I recommend getting an all-natural kind, since those tend to have less sugar. I used Virgil's and liked the way it turned out.
Whipped cream:
Ingredients - 1 cup of heavy cream2 teaspoons of butterscotch syrup Sugar to taste (optional)Directions -
1. In a chilled bowl, whip together the heavy cream, butterscotch syrup, and sugar (if wanted). Whip until stiff peaks form.
2. Try not to fling cream all over the counter while beating it. I may have failed this step. Assemble Butterbeer:
1. In a small bowl, pour one bottle (12 oz) of cream soda. Gently whisk in 2 teaspoons of butterscotch syrup. Over-wisk and you'll lose the fizziness.
2. Pour this concoction into a mug and top with the whipped cream.
Mischief managed! You now have Butterbeer that tastes glorious and is very similar to the one at Universal Studios, though not quite so sweet.
Even Snape thought it was good.
It tastes of sunshine and Harry Potter books. In fact, drinking Butterbeer fills a person with so much happiness that I don't think even Dementors would be able to suck it all away. It's basically Dementor repellant.
Have you ever made or drank Butterbeer? Did you like it? What do you think of
Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Azkaban
? Tell me about some of your favorite parts in the comment section below!Related articles:
Mrs. Weasley's Chocolate Fudge Inspired by Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone
Pumpkin Juice Inspired by J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Gluten and Dairy Free Seed-cake, Apple-tart, and Nut Round Recipes Inspired by The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienSaveSave
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