As you guys may have noticed from some of my posts, I have a tendency to kind of maybe blur the lines between fiction and reality. I love to read (although, thanks to this guy, if I try to read anything more substantial than Entertainment Weekly, I fall asleep in about 5 minutes.
Anyway. Blurring reality. Fact and fiction. After I finish a book (or a TV series), it seems like I can’t start something new for a few days because I have to process the fact that those characters and that world aren’t a part of my world anymore, at least not actively.
I was a little kid that lived in another world. And then, as I approached my teenage years, it was kind of like the real world became a sad, hard place and I felt like I lost that ability to become lost in another place that existed in my imagination; I thought that was some sad, inevitable part of growing up. And then I graduated from high school and went to college and discovered Harry Potter and also discovered that that part of me wasn’t gone. I love the Harry Potter books because they taught me to believe in magic again, that I could lose myself in the world of Hogwarts or Katniss Everdeen or Dillon, Texas or Star’s Hollow or Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
(Yes, I just took 15 precious minutes when i could have been sleep-reading to Mad Men myself. It was totally worth it.)
So yeah. Harry Potter. I’m not sure how it happened exactly, but Harry Potter has kind of become part of our Christmas traditions in our family. Maybe it’s because the movies often came out around Christmastime, or because there were almost always Christmas scenes in the books and movies, but we always end up spending a few days around Christmas holed up watching Harry Potter movies when the weather is ugly. So…while butterbeer isn’t warm or spicy or traditionally Christmas-y in any way, it’s a part of that magical world that I have so many happy memories of.
I swear up and down every year that I’m not going to post any more recipes that require a candy thermometer because there are so many variables when it comes to candy and that it is hard to get good, consistent results when people across all sorts of elevations, humidity levels, and skill levels are trying these recipes. And yet, here I am posting a candy-ish recipe, and I’m gonna do it again next week. I’m a glutton for punishment.
That said, this is the easiest, most forgiving candy recipe on the blog. All you have to do is get to 240 degrees and then you’re good–you don’t have to watch for certain colors or consistencies or smells or boil it for 9 3/4 minutes after you get to 240. You’ve just gotta get there.
If you’re planning on making butterbeer, pop 4 large glasses or beer mugs in the freezer and 4 12-ounce bottles of cream soda into the refrigerator.
For the salted butterscotch, you’re going to need 1 cup of brown sugar (dark or light, just depends on your preference), 2 tablespoons water, apple cider vinegar (weird, I know, but there’s so much sweetness going on here you need something to cut it), kosher salt, heavy whipping cream, and rum extract.
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees. Reduce heat to low and, whisking constantly, add in butter, salt, and vinegar and whisk until smooth. Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, reserving the rest for later, and whisk until smooth and combined and then remove from heat. Add the rum extract and allow to cool to room temperature. You can use this as a sauce/ice cream topping/syrup, or you can save it for the butterbeer.
To make the butterbeer, combine 2 tablespoons of the salted butterscotch with the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
and whip with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Pour 1/4 cup of the butterscotch (approximately) into each of the chilled glasses.
whisk in 1/4 cup of cream soda in each glass so it becomes frothy. Then add the remaining cream soda to each glass.
Divide the whipped cream mixture evenly among the four glasses and serve immediately.
Butterbeer with Salted Butterscotch Sauce
Description
If you love Harry Potter and all of the magical world that comes along with him, you’ll love this Butterbeer Recipe too! Complete with Salted Butterscotch Sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 4 12-ounce bottles cream soda
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees. Reduce heat to low and, whisking constantly, add in butter, salt, and vinegar and whisk until smooth. Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, reserving the rest for later, and whisk until smooth and combined and then remove from heat. Add the rum extract and allow to cool to room temperature. You can use this as a sauce/ice cream topping/syrup, or you can save it for the butterbeer.
- To make the butterbeer, combine 2 tablespoons of the salted butterscotch with the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and whip with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the butterscotch (approximately) into each of the chilled mugs or glasses. whisk in 1/4 cup of cream soda in each glass so it becomes frothy. Then add the remaining cream soda to each glass. Divide the whipped cream mixture evenly among the four glasses and serve immediately.
Questions & Reviews
I can’t wait to try this with my kids!!!!! We are huge Harry Potter fans (okay – I’m the huge Harry Potter fan and they just kinda got sucked in with me). We took a trip to Universal Studios Florida JUST to go to the Harry Potter World. I was more excited than the kids -and I’m 36. We loved the butterbeer there, and this looks just like it. NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITION!!!
I made the sauce tonight and its good but it got grainy… Did I boil too long or not enough? Same thing happened when I tried to make a coconut candy last week. First time I’ve ever used a candy thermometer… I’m sure either IT is wrong… or I am! Or both!
Thanks —
Jen
I can’t say for SURE, but my guess is that it wasn’t boiled long enough. And my guess is that your candy thermometer might be off a little–try bringing a pot of water to a full boil and then stick your candy thermometer in it. The boiling point of water is 212 degrees F, so if it registers above or below, that will tell you what you need to adjust for. Hope that helps!
Cutest sock monkey I’ve ever seen! Adorable!
YEA! I am so excited to try this. For Christmas my oldest is getting the HP books. He’s finally old enough to understand and appreciate them, so after we read about the butterbeer we’ll give this a go and bring the two worlds more together. Brenner will love it!
I’m still mad at Rory for dumping Logan. In my world they got married and had a baby girl named Lorelei. It’s a good world to live in. Especially now that you’ve shared BUTTERSCOTCH WHIPPED CREAM!!!!
I cannot even handle this post. I have fake conversations with my BFF Rory all the time and HP is my fav. I cried so hard at the premier of the last one that I tear-stained my recently at-home dyed Dumbledore shirt! I just love you guys.
please please please tell me where you bought the sock monkey jacket!
Old Navy! 🙂
Adorable baby!!! Yummy recipe!! THANKS!!!!! 🙂
Agreed on all counts: Cute baby, book obsession, Harry Potter at Christmas. One question, though: Can you suggest how to make this with actual beer? Maybe a chocolate stout of some sort?
I might not be the best person to help because I don’t drink beer, but someone else might know! 🙂
I’m giddily excited about this. And, like several of you, I totally get in to books–like, start speaking 18th century English after reading Jane Austen, stay up late at night thinking about the plots, into. Nice to know there are kindred spirits out there! 😉 Bless you for posting this!
I love how you described your books. I feel like I have to come off a week long detox after finishing a series. I get all anxious and panicky when I get close to the end in series that I really like and am constantly wishing there was more. My only hope for myself is that my kids love these series as much as I do and I get to open their eyes to new worlds.
P.S. Must. Make. This. Now.
That is one cute baby…
I LOVE Harry Potter. Thank you!
Your little guy is sooooo cute! Who needs butterscotch when you have a little monkey to chew on? (I feel safe saying this because my little 4-month old guy is totally chew-on-able too. = )
I totally know what you mean after you finish a book or finish watching a TV series and these people you have become so close to just vanish! It’s kind of hard to recover, I often feel like I have lost a good friend.
This is dope.
Okay, I have to admit that once I read Star’s Hollow, I really wasn’t able to concentrate on the rest of the post. I am thrilled that you are a Gilmore Girls fan and it makes me love this website even more! Thanks for all of your amazing recipes. I refer your site to friends all of the time.
“you don’t have to watch for certain colors or consistencies or smells or boil it for 9 3/4 minutes after you get to 240” — I see what you did there 🙂 Well done. Can’t wait to try it.
I have to say that the picture of your cute little baby makes me excited that I’m expecting, even in the middle of morning sickness, and that’s saying something my friend! And as far as the butter beer recipe, I almost licked my computer screen.
You should always share pictures of beautiful babies in sock monkey hats. Especially if the baby is this cute. Recipes are also nice, but it’s tough to compete with something as delicious as a charming baby.
We had Butterbeer this spring at Harry Potter World at Universal and I almost died I was so over-the-moon happy. It was like a book come true to stand there with my kids staring the at Castle we have all read about so many times while in line to get in Ollivander’s and just look around at the quaint Hogsmeade Village they built and drink Butterbeer. Yes, I am a 34 yr old mom of 4 who loves Harry Potter. I swear I was more excited than the kids!!! Thanks for this recipe, now we can have it at home, too 🙂
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who misses characters and can’t mix them with the next! I made this Butterbeer for my son’s birthday last year and my niece and nephew have been begging me to make it for Christmas ever since! It is really delicious.
Finally, a butterbeer recipe that actually sounds (and will most likely taste) how I think it should (based on the books!). The one in Florida just doesn’t sound right, and my daughter said it didn’t taste right…we love Harry Potter too, and will try this out this Christmas! Thank you for doing the work!!
Your little guy is so stinkin’ cute!!! Even without the sock monkey, that face would be worth the shameless pic.
This recipe sounds soo delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I did have a question, though. When it says near the end of the recipe to put 1/4 cup of the butterscotch into four chilled mugs, does that mean 1/4 cup in /each/ mug, or one single 1/4 cup divided evenly among the 4 mugs? Thanks!
I wondered the same thing!
Just clarified that–Thanks! 🙂 It’s 1/4 cup per glass.
i don’t mean to alarm you, but i think we may have been separated at birth :). i had very similar experiences with books as a child, and i also associate harry potter with christmastime. in fact, i’ve been getting myself into the holiday spirit by watching the movies a bit at a time each night while i fold laundry or stuff envelopes. anyway, the point is, you made me smile this morning. so thanks! (also, you should read Divergent if you haven’t already. there’s a sequel called Insurgent and a third should be out fairly soon. it had the same effect on me as the Hunger Games…in fact, i’d have to put it down every now and then just to soak it up.)
Aw, crap, I always knew that twin separated at birth was gonna find me… 🙂
you mean you KNEW? mom always told ME i just weighed ten pounds at birth all by myself. i knew that couldn’t be right… 🙂
Also the Iron Fey books by Julie Kagawa are a really good read, I spent last christmas vacation reading them, and could not put them down. I borrowed them from work for my daughter, but she had to wait until I was finished with them, before she was able to read them.
I LOVED the Iron Fey series. Now every time I think about getting a new electronic device, I worry about the Never Never.
Shameless CUTE baby pictures are always welcome!
Your son is adorable! And this looks so tasty! And since you love blurring the lines between fiction and reality, have you been able to watch “Once Upon a Time” on ABC? I just discovered season 1 on Netflix, and I cannot stop watching it and am so sad that I am almost done with the season. Now I have to find a way to catch on up season 2. If you haven’t watched it yet, give it a try! I think you will love it!
We LOVE that show! Our kids do, too–it’s so fun to have something we all like that we can look forward to on Sunday nights! 🙂
You can watch Season 2 on Amazon Prime Instant Videos, and ABC has them online as well, (for free) but the first few episodes already “expired” and aren’t available for viewing anymore. I watched the entire season 1 on Netflix in a matter of a few days…..my husband was so glad when I finally watched all of them and got it out of my system. Then I found the series “Merlin” on Netflix, and here we go again! 🙂 LOL
9 3/4 minutes-haha! 🙂
This is perfect for my daughter’s requested Harry Potter birthday in Feb!
Your son is a super-cutie! Mine is too but he’s almost 25 and won’t wear a sock monkey jacket anymore, LOL! Thank you for your wonderful website and the cute pictures!
That looks positively sinful! I sure could have used this recipe last week, but better late than never. (and thanks for that story about the cough drop earlier). Happy 12/12/12!