Circle the date, July 8th. The day Universal Studio’s Diagon Alley is open to the public! I’m so excited but I’m also kicking myself that I didn’t postpone our February trip for July. Imagine being able to ride the Hogwarts Express, shop at Scribbulus or Magical Menagerie (just in case you need an owl or a hippogriff). And food? You can eat British food at the Leaky Cauldron, and devour Butterbeer ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s ice cream parlour.
Since it’s going to be a while before I get a chance to go, I’m making Butterbeer at home, based on the 1400’s version. If you haven’t tried the ‘authentic’ Butterbeer before, try my recipe.
Harry Potter Florean Fortescue Butterbeer Ice Cream Recipe | Food i Literature
Author: Bryton Taylor; Food in Literature
Ingredients
- 1 bottle British Ale
- 2.5 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups thickened cream
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 6 egg yolks
Instructions
- Start by making a version of Butterbeer. In a saucepan, pour in 140 ml of the British Ale, and set aside the other beer in a container for later use.
- Add in the butter, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar into the saucepan.
- Stir until dissolved, then let simmer on a low heat until slightly reduced.
- Meanwhile in a mixer, add in the egg yolks and beat until pale, then add in the sugar, then the cream.
- Once the Butterbeer is reduced, pour in with the rest of the beer in the container.
- In the saucepan, still over a low heat, add in the cream, egg and sugar mixture. Stir and continue stirring so the egg doesn’t cook.
- Once it begins to thicken, turn off the heat. If you find the custard is starting to curl, take it off the heat, pour into the mixer and turn onto high. If it still hasn’t thickened, pour it back into the saucepan and continue to cook.
- Once thickened, push it through a strainer to keep out any gloopy bits, into a bowl (metal or glass I find is best) in an ice bath.
- Place in the fridge for a few hours to let cool completely.
- Next follow your ice cream maker instructions until your ice cream is ready!
Share your own Butterbeer ice cream creations right here!
Well done!!
I’m seriously thinking of taking ‘the kids’ to HPW/Diagon Alley in January or February. I don’t think they are too old yet 😉
If you go, take lots of photos! I’m trying to find a way to get myself over there sooner rather than later…
YUM! I so want to visit Diagon Alley but unfortunately a US trip isn’t on the cards for a while. Might have to make this and dream of it instead.
Oh gosh. Deliciousness indeed! I’ve been looking everywhere for pumpkin pie spice whilst overseas but haven’t had success yet (I guess I am in the wrong part of the world). I am definitely going to dig out my ice cream maker and make a batch of this when I get home… and have my own Harry Potter party (aka me, jellybeans and this ice cream whilst watching back-to-back movies!). Hope that you are going well dearest xxx
Hey! I was wondering if you would know what to do if I don’t have an ice cream maker! Can I just freeze them in the freezer?
Hi Elainn, Yes you can just freeze it, but it will be harder. I’d recommended taking it out from time to time as it freezes and putting it in your mixer. The main reason is so the air gets into the ice cream and makes it’s usually fluffier and therefore easier to scoop.
Is British Ale a beer? If so what should I look for as a substitute here in the US? We went to Universal this past November. It was AWESOME! We spent 3 days there and I could have spent all of that time in Diagon Alley and Hogsmede! The theming is amazing!
So lucky!! I’m hoping I’ll be able to do a trip to see Diagon Alley- haven’t gotten there yet! 🙂
Re the beer most bottle shops will have an international section with a British Ale. There are brands like Old Speckled Hen, Spitfire, London Pride, etc.
Publix carries a butterbeer-like soda in 12-ounce bottles mad by the Bubbling (Boiling?) Cauldron. It comes in a 4-pack and tastes JUST like BB. Might be able to substitute that for the ale. We went to Universal/IOA last month due to winning free 1-day, dual park passes. The BB Ice Cream was excellent, the fish-and-chips were great as well. I spent 2 years in the UK back in 1982-1984 while serving in the USAF at RAF Woodbridge. We had a truck park outside the front gate every work day which would fry up FRESH F&C and wrap it in newspaper. A suitable substitute here is Mrs. Paul’s beer battered fish portions or smaller served with seasoned French Fries. Winn-Dixie carries the english malt vinegar.
Continued…. The Gringot’s ride was great but I wasn’t as thrilled with Diagon Alley as I was when IOA’s HP land opened. You now have to take everything out of your pockets, put it in a locker (provided) and THEN go through a stupid TSA-like metal detector/wanding before getting on ANY of the rollercoasters (1 @ Universal and 3 at IOA). It’s a PITA! Too many idiots losing their cellphones, change, etc. from their loose pockets. At another park, a Darwin Award winner climbed 2 fences and passed 3 warning signs to retrieve his hat that blew off while he was riding it. The coaster made sure his hat wasn’t needed anymore (like a soccer ball).
Thanks Jim for the suggestion about the soda! I’m sure lots of people will be thrilled to know there’s an alternative 🙂
The whole taking everything out of your pockets sounds like a nightmare!
Hi.
This looks great.
I’m just wondering if you know of a non-alcoholic Butterbeer recipe, or at least one that doesn’t have a main ingredient with hops? That’d be great if you do know of one.
Thanks. 🙂
It won’t taste the same as this, but lots of other blogs do the butterscotch type that you find at the Wizarding World? I’ll keep an eye out for a way to make it non alcoholic though 🙂
Try the butterscotch soda at Publix. On the soda isle, in a 12 ounce, 4 pack of bottles.
Hi! So there is a way to make a non alcoholic version that tastes just like the BB at WWHP. Its for the frozen option of BB at the park, but its literally just cream soda that youve put in a flat pan and placed in the freezer, scraping the ice about every 30 minutes until its like a slushie. And for the foam, its whipping cream and butterscotch syrup whipped slight to taste (but you dont want it to turn into actual whipped, you want it loose and foamy). Cup it up and top with the foam and thats the frozen butter beer. ^_^
How about you use root beer for the not alcoholic version.
I used root beer in place of the beer. It tasted great!
?
Question: Do you pour the entire bottle of ale into the mix? Or just the portion you simmered on the stove?
Thanks again for the recipe!
You use half of the beer to reduce on the stove so it’s not so liquidy (you create a concentrated flavour), then you add in the rest of the beer later. 🙂
What size bottle for the ale? 350 ml? Also, what specific recommendation do you have on ale type or brands?
Hi Jen, Yup 350ml. I loved Speckled Hen the most, but there are also brands like Old Peculiar. 🙂
I can’t wait to make this! What is thickened cream? Heavy whipping cream?
Also, I saw that you haven’t been to Diagon Alley yet. It is AMAZING! I went last October and I learned that they have 3 specialty (alcoholic) beers that you can get only in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Two are in Diagon Alley, and one is at Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade (you haven’t been at all, you need admit to both parks). They are Hog’s Head Brew (my favorite), Dragon Scale (not for me), and Wizard’s Brew (a stout – so good).
:O Oh you just made my day! We’re planning on going next year (such a long time to wait!) so will definitely be checking out both places and the beer! 😀
And thickened cream might be called heavy cream or whipping cream (or at least that’s what Google told me!)
For those of us not in the US what might ”pumpkin pie spice’ be? and what proportions of basic spices would one use to make some?
Hey, you can make your own pumpkin pie spice mix using 4 tbsp ground cinnamon, 4 tsp ground nutmeg, 4 tsp ground ginger and 3 tsp ground allspice. 🙂
(source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-pie-spice-i/)
Thank you so much for the recipe! This is much closer to what I imagined butterbeer to be. Other recipes seem to have too much sugary sweetness, and no beer flavor. This is delicious! My spousal unit also thinks so. I used a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale, as the suggested beer is not available in my area. Newcastle is a pretty strong British ale which seems to have kept its flavor profile even against all the cream and milk. I used half the recommended cream and the other half whole milk to cut the fat a bit and it worked fine. I plan to try it again with a coffee stout or maybe a pumpkin ale closer to fall. Newcastle seems to be readily available throughout the US for anyone wanting to try the recipe.
Glad you liked it 🙂 And thanks for suggesting another British Ale! It’s good to have a variety of brands listed so others know what they can look for.
Hi
I’m actually making this just now, I am in the process of stirring the egg cream etc in a saucepan. Do I Mix the beer with that once it’s thickened then put it into the fridge to cool? X
Sorry I wasn’t able to reply when you were making it, but yup! You mix the beer in once it’s thickened, then strain (if you have gloopy bits) and then chill. Hope it turned out well for you! x
Hi, I was wondering if there was a nonalcoholic substitute for the ale. I’d really prefer not having to use anything alcoholic.
I just got back from Florida on Oct. 10, 2015. LOVED every second of Univeral Studios. When you go, and I KNOW you will – just from the love you showed coming up with these recipes – be sure and get a park to park pass. That way you can ride the Hogwarts Express between the parks. And it would be better to get a 2-3 day pass, as trying to do both parks in one day is exhausting (that’s what we did). I WILL be trying some of these recipes. Thank you SOOOO much. I also found a butterscotch soda at Cracker Barrel. It tasted fairly good, makes a fair substitute.
How exciting! I’m hoping next year we’ll get a chance to fly over- can’t wait! 🙂
These looks amazing! Where did you find the logo on the cone paper sleeves? They are how I imagined it would look like, unlike the ones used in Universal Studios
Hi Allie, My mom drew the logo up for me inspired by the Fortescue crest. I’ll attach it when I can find it again 🙂
Can I just say you are AMAZING! Not just this post – although it is awesome – but all of them! You’re creativity amazes me! Really! Not only are you able to live your favorite books, but allow others to live them to.
thanks Elsa 🙂
This. Was. AMAZING! I’m afraid all of my children will want this for their birthdays.
I used a (US) domestic Amberbock, as British ales are hard to get in Utah and expensive. I found tripling the recipe was the right amount for my ice cream maker. To keep it non alcoholic, I simmered all the beer in the first step. Also US measurments were 48 ounces (4 12-oz bottles) which I reduced back down to 36 (3 bottles), which reinforced the flavors of the ale without the alcohol. (TIP: I froze the egg whites in an ice cube tray for later use, 1 “cube” per white.)