subject: Make Your Own Magical Concoction, Harry Potter's Butterbeer [print this page] The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that opened in June this year has been an overwhelming success, bringing in millions of visitors hoping to fly with Harry and Ron, ride Hippogriffs and be chosen by one of Ollivander's wands.
Yet the surprise hit of the theme park has been the Harry Potter beverage, Butterbeer. "There may be no bigger product launch smash this year than Butterbeer," said the website Walletpop, referring to the beverage's unprecedented success.
Tom Schroeder, a spokesman for Universal Studios said that over half of the parks visitors sample the drink, often opting to sample both the regular and frozen variety.
The park has proven a real salvation to Orlando's tourist industry which was cast in to uncertainty due to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill in April this year. Instead of diminishing figures, Universal have enjoyed one of their more successful years, surpassing Disneyworld in regards to attendance. Furthermore hotels that have feared a dip in reservations have found themselves fully booked .
Also finding themselves enjoying full booking are the owners of the various Orlando vacation rentals, who have been popular in these austere times. Many enjoy the appeal of the vacation rental property as it allows them to offset the expenses of eating at the theme park resorts.
Orlando studios have kept a tight lid on their Butterbeer recipe, so far only gleaning that it tastes a little like butterscotch and shortbread.
Prior to the commercial release as a product at the universal studios resort, there have been many fan attempts to create a concoction that could be described as Butterbeer. While early attempts included a dose of Butterscotch schnapps, the version at the park is a family friendly non-alcoholic take on the drink.
For you to make at home we have devised a recipe for the whole family to enjoy
BUTTERBEER
Time: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup of dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of water
6 tablespoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon if cider vinegar
3/4 cup of heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon of rum extract
1 litres of cream soda
Process: In a small saucepan over a medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often.
Add the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 of the heavy cream. Leave this to cool at room temperature.
When this mixture has cooled, add the rum extract and stir.
In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture with the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. In a electric mixer beat the mixture until it is just thickened, but not completely whipped.
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.
