Butterbeer
is the drink cold and foamy cream that became the most popular food
items at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando.
Butterbeer
In the Harry Potter books, butterbeer appears to have an inebriating effect, and some older online recipes include butterscotch schnapps, but the Universal version is nonalcoholic. In Bon Appetit’s January 2002 issue, author J.K. Rowling was asked what butterbeer tastes like, and she said: “I made it up. I imagine it to taste a little bit like less sickly butterscotch.”
Butterbeer is sold in two varieties, regular and frozen.The drink is drawn from a tap, like a beer and the dense, whipped topping is added from a separate tap. It’s served in cups, about $3 ($4 for frozen) for a disposable cup and about $10 ($11 for frozen) for a hard plastic souvenir stein.
BUTTERBEER RECIPE
Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
Servings: 4
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda
How do I make a butterbeer?
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.
- Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.
