Recipe for Noncarbonated Nonalcoholic Butterbeer

I have always wanted to try Butterbeer. However, there is one teeny tiny problem. I don’t like carbonation. Why? I don’t know, Bubbles is weird. Let’s just say that my moniker isn’t a reference to soda bubbles. So for all who want to try Butterbeer without the bubbles, here is my adaptation of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups White Sugar (syrup part of recipe) 1 cup Water (syrup part of recipe) 1/8 tsp Lemon Juice 1 tsp Vanilla Flavoring (Not Vanilla Extract) 1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream 1 tsp Butter Flavoring (Can find in the baking aisle) 1 Tbl White Sugar (cream part of recipe) 2 Tbl Butterscotch Ice Cream Topping Mug-worth Water (final part of recipe)

STEPS:

SYRUP

1. Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan over medium heat 2. Stir frequently until sugar appears dissolved 3. Add the lemon juice and vanilla flavoring 4. Turn the heat to high and stir intermediately until you get a rolling bubble. Let the syrup boil for 10 minutes 5. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool

In the meantime, while the syrup is cooling, make the whipped cream.

WHIPPED CREAM

1. Add the heavy whipping cream, butter flavoring, and sugar to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until you get light peaks (AKA, you can use a spoon (or hands) to loosely skulpt with the cream) 2. Set aside in the fridge until ready to assemble

FINAL PRODUCT

1. Add 2 Tbl of Butterbeer syrup and the butterscotch to a mug 2. Heat up water to almost boiling (as if you were making tea with the water) 3. Pour the hot water into the mug and stir to combine 4. Top with a dolp of the whipped cream and serve

NOTES:

For a less sugary, more molasses taste, make the syrup with brown sugar instead of white. The final beverage’s color will not be affected much despite the significantly darker syrup color. If you do use brown sugar, do not forget to pack down the sugar tightly into the measuring cup when measuring. Brown sugar reacts differently when being heated. If the bubbling sugar mixture looks like it may overflow, turn down the heat until it becomes more controlled but still boils.

The syrup can be canned and stored in the fridge for later use. One batch makes a large amount. The whipped cream will last for a week in the fridge if covered.

Swap the water out in the final step with carbonated water to make this recipe bubbly again.