Butterscotch Cheesecake (Harry Potter Butterbeer Cheesecake)

 Harry Potter mania has suddenly hit the stores.  Butterbeer flavored treats are all over the place this month.

Butterbeer is a drink featured in the Harry Potter novels that was then brought to life in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.  Here we are with our Butterbeer in 2019.

At Universal, butterbeer is basically cream soda with a little extra butterscotch flavoring and it's quite sweet.

Since I do love Harry Potter, I just couldn’t help myself.  I enjoy Goldfish crackers and Hershey Kisses and when both came out with special edition Butterbeer flavor, I just had to buy them.  But here’s the thing.  I knew they’d be butterscotch flavored and I don’t like butterscotch.  Like, at all.  The butterbeer from 2019 was alright because it was mostly cream soda, but these?  Straight butterscotch.

I was the only one brave enough to try the kisses and I got Dude to try the Goldfish under coercion.  I had my one and I was good…and stuck with an entire bag of each.

So what to do?

Obviously, make cheesecake.  I used the Goldfish in place of a graham cracker crust and then added the melted Butterbeer Kisses in the cheesecake batter and as a ganache on top.

You guys!

The cheesecake totally tamed the butterscotch, making it almost a caramel-like flavor profile and I loved it!  Butterbeer (or butterscotch) cheesecake is the way to go!

Recipe note:

-Substitute Butterbeer Goldfish with graham crackers and 1 teaspoon butterscotch extract

-substitute Butterbeer Kisses with butterscotch chips

Butterbeer Cheesecake

An Amy’s Cooking Adventures Original Recipe

Crust

1 ½ cups Butterbeer Goldfish, finely ground

4 tablespoon butter, melted

Cheesecake

4 ounces butterbeer kisses, unwrapped

4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

2 ⅔ cups cream cheese, softened (2 ⅔ blocks)

½ cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

3 eggs

Butterbeer Ganache

3 ½ ounces Butterbeer Kisses, chopped

1 ½ ounces heavy cream

Garnish

White chocolate curls

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment and lightly spray with cooking spray.  

Mix together the Butterbeer Goldfish Crumbs and butter until combined.  Press into the prepared springform.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Place the Butterbeer Kisses and white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on low until melted.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F

To make the cheesecake, place the cream cheese and yogurt into the bowl of a stand mixer, mix until smooth.

Add the sugar and cornstarch and mix until smooth.

Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing each time until combined.

Add the cooled white chocolate mixture and stir until combined.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the baked crust.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 60-75 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown and the center is still jiggly. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

To make the ganache, heat the cream to steaming (I used the microwave).  Stir in the Butterbeer Kisses and set aside for 3 minutes to melt.  Stir until smooth.

Remove cheesecake from the springform pan.  Pour the Butterbeer ganache over the cheesecake.  Garnish with white chocolate curls.  Cut and serve.