Butterbeer

Don't get mad -- I know this is the wrong literary universe, but I needed to share this recipe. A while ago, I visited Harry Potter World in Orlando, Florida for the first time and tried hot butterbeer. When I got home, I started searching online for recipes. Everything I found just seemed wrong. They all called for heating up cream soda. Not only is that disgusting, it's clearly not what Orlando is doing. If you ever get the chance to try hot butterbeer, look at it closely. It's not carbonated, nor does it have the taste of flattened carbonation. It's also opaque, not translucent the way soda is. After a bit of experimenting, I came up with this idea that I think is close to Orlando's recipe but slightly more complex in flavor (and therefore better).

BIG IMPORTANT NOTE: When making this, be sure to get actual white chocolate, which contains cocoa butter. Fake white chocolate, such as Ghirardelli's "Classic White Chips" and Nestle's "Premier White Morsels" (note that neither use the word "chocolate") are both made from palm oil, with no cocoa butter at all. Kroger brand white chocolate chips will work, but your best bets are chopping up Baker's White Chocolate Bar or Ghirardelli's White Chocolate Baking Bar.

Butterbeer

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: about 4 cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 3/4 cups chopped white chocolate (read the big important note!)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp rum flavor
• 1/2 tsp butter flavor

Directions

1. Heat the milk and chocolate in a saucepan over medium-low to medium heat, stirring constantly. Do NOT let the milk boil, but it's fine to let it simmer.
   
2. As the chocolate melts, you will notice the milk changing to a creamy yellow color. Pull your spoon up occasionally to check that the chocolate is melting.
   
3. When the chocolate is funny melted, add the three flavorings and heat until it reaches desired temperature.