We were pleasantly surprised with how utterly delicious this drink was – it was smooth, spicy and strangely familiar, and warmed us from the inside out, just as I imagined while reading about Hogsmeade. This is a simplified version of Heston Blumenthal’s recipe which he, in turn, adapted from a Tudor recipe. Don’t wait for a Harry Potter night for this brew – this will make a welcome addition to any winter evening. It is very rich, so you only need a small serving.
What you need:
- 2 cans dark ale
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
- 120g caster sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 20g unsalted butter
How you do it
- Pour the ale into the saucepan and stir in the spices. Heat the mixture on a low heat until warm.
- In the meantime, whip the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until light and creamy.
- Once the ale is warm add the sugary-egg mix and return to the heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid starts to thicken slightly. [Heston Tip: don’t let it get too hot – if you do you’ll end up with a saucepan full of spiced scrambled eggs!]
- After a few minutes remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and smooth.
- Pour into small cups and serve immediately – ideally with some hot pumpkin pasties!
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