BUTTERBEER!!!!!

Now that I have your attention!  I honestly didn't mean to scream - it's just....  It's just.....

The amount of awesomeness that is about to follow cannot be contained in lower case letters.

When Mom and I went to Florida in 2010, we talked about going over to Orlando to Universal Studios to go to the all new Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 

That's right.  I said it.

Sadly, the park opened this new attraction about two weeks after we left Florida to come home to Canada.

*sniff*

So when we planned our trip in September of 2011, we decided on Orlando and the whole point was to go to Universal to see WWOHP!!! 

Oh, and hang out together.  That part was important too.

We had a fantastic 10 days in Orlando shopping and eating out and laying at the pool and just enjoying each other's company.

The best part of the whole thing though, was WWOHP.  Hands. Down.

The folks over at Universal did a totally fantastic job of paying attention to the smallest details.  Right down to the curtains in the windows over the roof tops of Hogsmeade, the sparkling snow, and the moving pictures throughout.

SO. COOL.

As a huge fan of Harry Potter - I was not disappointed in the slightest.  It was incredibly magical. 

Here are some pictures!



Hogsmeade



The Castle was fantastic.  The turrets, the rocks, the inside.  All of it.

And there's so much more.

They really thought of everything.  No matter what side you look at it from - they missed NOTHING.

As for yummy treats.  Well.  It wouldn't be "Harry Potter World" without Butterbeer.

When designing the attraction, Universal met with J.K. Rowling and went over everything from the design of the place, to the buildings, to the food, to the souvenirs, and the Butterbeer.

It turns out that when Universal was "designing" the recipe for Butterbeer, they got J.K. Rowling's approval on the taste and the texture.

You can buy Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, at the Hog's Head Inn, and at carts throughout the park.

You can buy it either "regular" or "frozen".

I liked the "frozen".  Lots.  I wanted to drink LOTS of it.  I wanted to set up a chair beside the Butterbeer cart and hold out my cup when it was empty, have it re-filled, and just sit there and watch the people go by.

Plus, it was like four thousand degrees.

Of course, because I'm an idiot, I never did take pictures of the full cups of Butterbeer before diving in.

Duh.

Anyway, Butterbeer is a sweet, buttery drink topped with a foam that sort of kind of doesn't melt.  It's hard to describe..... 

Before I went to WWOHP, the sweetest Darla over at Bakingdom posted about HER trip to WWOHP and I was totally jealous.  Totally and completely.

Darla is too awesome.  I am constantly amazed and inspired by her creativity and attention to detail.  She seems to be able to perfectly manifest her imagination in cakes and treats - a skill and quality I'm totally jealous of! 
Then she posted a recipe for Butterbeer and I nearly died.  

Of course, the only thing I could get in Canada was the whipping cream.

That's it.

So my dreams of drinking Butterbeer had to be put on hold.

Then Mom and I went to Florida.  And I came home with so much stuff I had to buy a second suitcase. 

For real.  I kind of lost my head.

One of the things I HAD to bring back was Imitation Butter Flavouring.  Which is absolutely essential for this recipe and something I'd never even heard of.  But I found it - and I bought copious amounts of it. 

Then one of the guys I work with brought me back a case of A&W Sparkling Vanilla Cream Soda from the States.

Then everything sat in my pantry.

Then I got around to it. 

Am I ever glad I finally did.

Imported pop

Imported flavoring

You'll need all this

Start by whipping the whipping cream a little until it starts to thicken, then add a little sugar and continue whipping.

Then add the vanilla and butter extracts.

Then whip until stiff peak stage.

In a glass, preferably a special Butterbeer glass that you bought when you were at WWOHP, put in a little butter extract.  But if you don't have a special Butterbeer glass from WWOHP, just a regular old tall glass will do.

If you're into that kind of thing.

Then pour in the cream soda gently into the glass - try not to let it foam up.

And top with a dollop of the whipped whipping cream.  You could do this however you'd like - just plop it on, or pipe it on with a bag so it's pretty.

I just plopped it on and then prettied it out a little with the back of a spoon.

And enjoy!  Maybe with a Butterbeer Cupcake? 

Yes, please. (stay tuned for that one!)

I would have to say that it's REALLY. REALLY. close to the one at the park.  Like almost exactly the same.

Oh. So. Good.

The only thing left to do is figure out how to make the frozen version!

Thanks to Darla for being totally obsessed with Harry Potter!  You're wonderful and I love reading your blog!  Keep up the amazing!!!!

Now pardon me while I jump for joy and sing Darla's praises!!!

This is the Cane Girl - signing off.


Butterbeer
For 1 serving
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 teaspoon butter extract
1 can A&W Sparkling Vanilla Cream Soda, chilled

1. In a bowl, whip the cream on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to thicken.
2. Add the sugar and whip until soft peaks begin to form (about 3 to 4 more minutes).
3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3/4 teaspoon butter extract, then whip for about 30 more seconds - you want to have soft peaks, but not too stiff.
4. Put 1/2 teaspoon butter extract in the bottom of a glass.
5. Pour in the cream soda over the butter extract slowly so it doesn't foam.
6. Top with the whipped cream mixture.  There will be lots left over - don't let it go to waste!  Make more Butterbeer!

Source:  Bakingdom