{Review} The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit

Last year, Dinah Bucholz wrote a cookbook based on the Harry Potter books (see our review of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook), and now she has released The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit.  This new release promises that you will be able to "conjure up your own magical confections!" The kit includes The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Book - which has thirty-five easy-to-make recipes, Chocolate Candy and Lollipop Molds, sixteen Broom-Shaped Lollipop Sticks and sixteen Glassine Bags with Ties. With this kit, you will be able to make many of Harry, Ron and Hermione's favorite treats.

There are some great aspects to this product and a few drawbacks. First with the positive - who doesn't want to eat a lollipop on a broomstick? The recipe we decided to try first was "Butterscotch Brew" - which is Dinah Bucholz's version of butterbeer (which was noticeably absent from her first book).

Some of the ingredients were common household items - vanilla extract, sugar and carbonated soda, though I did have to go out to find butter flavor and rum extract.

The recipe was pretty basic (it differs somewhat from most of the online butterbeer recipes).  You can see the process in the photos. 

Altogether, it took us around half an hour to make the Butterscotch Brew.

It turned out pretty well, though a bit strong for our taste.  The butter/rum extract combination tasted strange - but maybe it's an aquired taste?  Certainly seems to be a favorite of those in Harry Potter's world!

The biggest downfall to the kit is that quite a few of the recipes are not unique items. An example - hot chocolate is one of the recipes included (as well as vanilla ice cream, homeade fudge and ice cream sundaes.) Overall, it is a fun idea and still contains enough ingredients and instructions for some truly unique creations. The Unofficial Harry Potter Sweet Shoppe Kit currently retails on Amazon at around $15.

Thanks to Adams Media for providing my review sample! I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own.

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