Brian's Better Butterbeer Booster--Pyro-style and other . . .

ONE CHRISTMAS DINNER, many years ago, my father went a little overboard with the brandy--not in the consumption, but in the quantity with which he doused the plum pudding. And so, as he carried the platter into the darkened dining room, while blue flames danced around the tray, they also danced in a little stream onto the floor and left a trail of melted carpet.



I offer this tale as a caution: if you like fire, by all means enjoy the "pyro butterbeer." But don't set anything on fire that you don't want to burn.

More recently, about three years ago, I went googling for a butterbeer recipe to share at my "Lunch at the Three Broomsticks" club at school. I found many ideas, (sorry! can't remember where:( ) though I couldn't bring my favorite to school. I did, however, bring all my test-batches to the annual Heiss family New Year's Eve gathering for testing.

I'm presenting here the top tasting recipe:

BRIAN'S BETTER BUTTERBEER BOOSTER (I think that night we came up with even more b's, but I disremember now:)

You'll need:

• Good cream soda in large quantities


• Mrs. Richardson's or other good caramel sauce


• a few cups of Butterscotch schnapps


• pure vanilla extract


• butter


• a stout sauce-pan


• stove


• fire


• jars, mugs, ice


• tasters & helpers

What you do:

• Pour a couple of cups of schnapps into the sauce pan and set to heat on medium. How much cooking you do depends on if you want to boil/burn off the alcohol so this mixture is safe for house elves & children. Even if you don't, it won't be very stong (unless you're a house elf). Buttershots is about 15 % alcohol. If you mix the booster with cream soda at 1/10 ratio, this dilutes it to about 1.5 % or less, since some of the alcohol is going to evaporate, and there are other ingredients.


• If you want to leave it a little boozy:
  
  
  
  • warm up the schnapps, but don't boil or let it steam.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Stir in some caramel sauce as it warms--maybe one or two overflowing, dripping tablespoons-full per cup of schnapps.
  
  
  • pour in a cap-full or so of vanilla
  
  
  • melt in a little butter--a very little because it hardens when chilled. You may want to leave this out unless you like your butterbeer hot; even then you can dot the top with butter.
  
  
  • stir it up.
  
  
  • slide the pan off the heat as soon as the caramel and butter are melted and stirred into the mixture.
  
  
  
  

• If you want it safe for house elves (almost alcohol free)
  
  
  
  • Do everything the same, but heat to boiling.
  
  
  • boil until it the mixture reduces to about 75% of it's original volume. Since alcohol vaporizes at a lower temp than water, the alcohol should be pretty much gone by now. Give it a sniff or a taste and see what you think.
  
  
  
  

• Pyro Butterbeer! If you like fire:
  
  
  
  • Add only the vanilla to the schnapps.
  
  
  • Heat it until just before boiling.
  
  
  • sniff it carefully! Smell that alcohol?
  
  
  • give it a good stir to get the fumes going and set it ablaze. Be careful! Use a long candle/grill lighter if you have one. Don't let your hair swing over the pot.
  
  
  • Turn off the light and enjoy the blue glow.
  
  
  • stir it around, taking care not to burn yourself or set your wooden spoon on fire. The burnt wood flavor is unpleasant. (use a metal spoon:)
  
  
  • When it goes out, stir it up and light it again. You can keep burning it until it won't light anymore, or you're bored.
  
  
  • Add the rest of the ingredients.
  
  
  • boil/burn/mix until reduced to 75% of original volume.
  
  
  
  

• When you finish cooking the booster, let it cool.

I like my butterbeer cold:

• Pour a little booster into your mug. (try about 1/10 ratio and add more if you like it strong and sweet)


• gently add cream soda.


• gently stir


• put in as much ice as you like--again, gently.


• You now have a mug of rich, creamy, sweet, and foamy butterbeer!

If you want to try it warm:

• Mix to taste with warmed cream soda and serve with a dot of butter. Don't boil the soda, or it will loose its fizz entirely.

If you're of legal/moral age, and you like a little extra cheer:

• add some good rum to taste, but watch out because this is very sweet and might give you a headache in the morning! ;-)

If you have suggestions for bettering the booster, and thus the butterbeer, please comment!

Finally, enjoy your butterbeer with good friends--muggle or magic! Or alone with your favorite book or movie. And watch those house elves!