Butterbeer Frozen Custard

July 16, 2018 By Whip & Wander 60 Comments

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“Here — you’ve earned a drink — something from the Three Broomsticks. You won’t have tried it before –” Lupin pulled two bottles out of his briefcase. “Butterbeer!” said Harry, without thinking. “Yeah, I like that stuff!” – Remus Lupin, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

What is Butterbeer, exactly?

Described in the Harry Potter universe as “A delicious wizard drink served warm and foaming in tankards or chilled in bottles” with a flavor “a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch.”

Of all of the delicious things mentioned in Harry Potter, Butterbeer is definitely my favorite. There’s something particularly magic about the idea of drinking a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade village and I love that it always seemed to mark moments of friendship.

Butterbeer reimagined as Butterbeer Frozen Custard

Though there are many versions of Butterbeer as a drink, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, I thought it would be really spectacular reimagined as a frozen custard. Considering the descriptor of a “less-sickly butterscotch,” it was important that the base of the Butterbeer Frozen Custard was rich, without being overly sweet.

A delicious update

As a recipe developer, I test and retest my recipes until they’ve reached the point that I think they’re ready to share with the world. But every once in a while, I send something delicious out that I wonder if I could have elevated even further. This recipe was the equivalent of my unfinished painting. Absolutely delicious in its original form, but it always needled me at the back of my mind that it was missing a brushstroke that could make it even better. That brushstroke was butter.

The original base of the custard is still flavored with a bit of almond extract, which I find to be just a little bit richer than vanilla. However, I’ve toned the original amount of almond down in favor of adding some creamy-rich butter. Yes, butter. The thing that always bugged me about every iteration of Butterbeer” anything” was that it always lacked the butter flavor that I assumed was present in the book version.

The resulting base is rich, creamy, and when paired with the salty-sweet ribbons of my Paleo Butterscotch Sauce, a perfect tribute to the butterbeer I imagined when first reading the books.

What’s the difference between custard and ice cream?

The addition of egg yolks in custard is the primary differentiator from ice cream. Egg yolks make the texture of custard just a little bit richer and creamier than ice cream, owing to the additional fat content of the egg.

For those Harry Potter super-nerds like me, you’ll know that the number 7 is very integral to Harry’s journey as well as the wizarding community as a whole. Therefore, you will find the magic number of 7 egg yolks in this Butterbeer Frozen Custard.

No Ice Cream Maker?

This batch of Butterbeer Frozen Custard was made in a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. No ice cream maker, no problem. Just make the mixture ahead of time, pop it in your bread pan, and let the freezer do all the work. You’ll need to wait until the custard has reached frozen yogurt consistency before adding the butterscotch though, otherwise, it will fall straight to the bottom. Alternatively, you can just drizzle it on top if you prefer serving it sundae style.

A note for special diets

This Butterbeer Frozen Custard is refined sugar-free. I generally opt to use a lactose-free half & half in this but it works equally well with traditional half & half too.

LOOKING FOR MORE HARRY POTTER CONTENT?

I’m celebrating Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s birthdays on July 31st by filling the month with all things Potter. Check back regularly this month to see additional Harry Potter recipes and content linked HERE.