Hot Butterbeer

I like Harry Potter.

I've read the books and seen the movies, but I have yet to embark on a trip to Universal Studios and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I would really like to go!

If one of you guys wants to come pick me up, I can be ready to go in, oh....about ten minutes?

One day I will get to go...and I will try both the cold and frozen versions of this beverage that they have available inside the park. Honestly, I think people look forward to and talk more about the Butterbeer than anything else inside the park. Rides? Pfft. Characters? Hurumph. Butterbeer? Oh yeeeaaaah!

I've made Butterbeer several times. In fact, it has been a part of a Christmas holiday tradition for us for a few years now.  We pick a night and go riding around town in search of decorated houses and oooh and ahhhh appropriately. When we've had our fill, we make a boiling cauldron of Butterbeer. And we have always made our Butterbeer hot. I don't think it ever even occurred to me to make it cold; I'm not sure why.

Pour cream soda into a heavy bottomed pot and bring to a boil.

While you're waiting for the cream soda to boil, add the butter and brown sugar to a small pan.

Melt these two together.

When cream soda reaches a boil, add the butter and brown sugar mixture and heavy cream.

Add the Werthers and stir as if your life depends on it. These discs will stick to the bottom and you will not be a happy wizard when you have to clean the pot...trust me on this!

Hot, creamy and buttery! Soooooo good. (Sorry I don't have 'fancier' cups...

Add whipped cream if you'd like - I sometimes like to sprinkle toffee bits on top.

Hot Butterbeer

serves 6-8

5 12 oz. cans cream soda

5 tbsp of butter
5 tbsp of brown sugar
1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
8 Werther’s Original hard candies
Whipped cream

Bring the cream soda to a boil in a large stock pot.

In a separate pan, melt the butter and brown sugar together until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the butter and sugar mixture into the boiling cream soda.

Add the heavy whipping cream.

Add the Werther’s Originals, stir continuously until they melt.

You can add 5 or 6 shots of butterscotch schnapps if the muggles you are serving are of age.

Top it off with some whipped cream. 

A sprinkle or two of crushed butterscotch candies would be nice on top of the whipped cream.