I used to work for a man who didn’t mind when I called him Voldemort, Harry Potter’s dark lord of evil. That kind of gives you an indication of how strange and twisted he was. Having said that, he wasn’t 100% awful, he definitely had moments of being kind and nice but mostly, and until he got married he was a strange tyrant that you could hear demanding things like a petulant baby his loud vice roaring across the room “All I want is….” was a frequent cry.
“Expecto Patronum!” I used to mutter under my breath during this time. Luckily he only had the vaguest understanding of the Harry Potter series. These two words in the book were what Harry or other wizards would say when needed a protector and a weapon against predators and Dementors. I was hoping that the spell would work to appease tyrannical bosses.
The Harry Potter series is one of my favourite series of books, ever. I’m not much into the fantasy genre but there was something that immediately grabbed me (and millions of others). I love the way the author J.K. Rowling’s mind works and how imaginative she is. And like with many of my favourite books there is also an element of food. One of the foods that she created was Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Jelly Beans. These are like muggle or non magical jelly beans except that there is a huge range of flavours good and bad. Alongside more regular flavours there were ones like earwax, bogey, vomit and dirt. As such they were marketed as “Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans – A Risk With Every Mouthful!”
And I woke up one day and said out loud in excitement “These would be perfect for Halloween!”
I didn’t quite have any inclination to replicate a vomit flavoured jelly bean but I decided to make jelly beans in a variety of flavours including some not so nice or non traditional jelly bean flavours mixed in with your regular flavours. Having a look in my spell cupboard… ahem pantry I took out the following flavours: coconut, chocolate, pear, black pepper, lemon myrtle, vindaloo curry, violet and strawberry and paired them with colours.
Finding a recipe for jelly beans was hard-very hard indeed. What I realised is that nobody really makes jelly beans because they are easy and cheap to buy. But because I was under the Confundus charm spell I paid no heed of the warning and made a batch without having any molds and they just melded into one and didn’t look even vaguely jelly bean shaped. I regrouped and bought some molds that in truth look more like mini Easter egg molds than jelly bean molds although they were sold as the latter, and made them again. The flavour of these jelly beans was distinct. Clear and quite scary for people picking up a red jelly bean and expecting a hot cinnamon or strawberry jelly bean and instead getting a mouthful of garlickly vindaloo!
I gave these to Mr NQN who was actually quite excited about dressing up for Halloween for a change. Every year he says that he wants to come as Dexter Morgan (that is, the pants and a polo shirt wearing Dexter-not much of a challenge) and we always end up buying a costume at the last minute. This time I bought a Harry Potter robe, a Dumbledore wand and some glasses for him ahead of time. With much excitement the evening that they arrived, he went off practising spells in our lounge room. Then on the night of the Halloween party I gave these to him to carry around to offer to guests-the cheeky monkey emerged and he especially loved offering his sister a jelly bean and seeing her reaction.
Alas it was poor Miss America and Alison whose first two jelly beans were the black pepper and the vindaloo. Being brave souls however they tried other, less unsavoury flavours and got a taste of coconut, chocolate, violet and strawberry. Alison even said that she liked the black pepper one!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like the Harry Potter series? And would you have made any strange flavours and if so, which ones?
Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Jelly Beans From Harry Potter
- 3/4cups water
- 1 1/4 cups caster or superfine sugar
- 2 sheets of titanium strength gelatine leaves or 1/4 oz powdered gelatin
- Desired colourings and flavours-remember if you are making jelly beans in the Bertie Bott style there should be some that are not so nice!
- Oil spray
- And later: a little simple icing mixture using icing or powdered sugar and a few drops of water (to glue them together)
You will also need jelly bean molds, a heavy based large saucepan and a sugar thermometer and as many bowls as you have flavours and small spoons.
Jelly bean molds-they actually look more like Easter egg molds to me…
1. If using gelatine leaves, soak in cold water. If using powdered gelatine, you don’t need to do anything else. In the heavy based saucepan add the water first and then the sugar on top and stir gently until sugar is dissolved making sure to brush down any stray sugar crystals on the side with a wet pastry brush (as this will cause your sugar to crystallise). Once the sugar is completely dissolved add the gelatine powder or squeeze out the gelatine leaves from the cold water and add this to the sugar syrup.
2. Add the sugar thermometer and bring to a boil until it reaches a soft ball stage of 110C or 230F. It takes about 20 minutes or so to do this and the mixture will swell and recede-be sure never to leave boiling sugar unattended. My pot just fit the mixture and I’ve made several batches of these and it has not overflowed-yet!
3. While it is boiling away spray the jelly bean molds liberally with oil spray and get your bowls, spoons and colourings ready and enlist the help of someone else as the key to this step is working quickly as the sugar sets fast. When it reaches the desired temperature divide the mixture into the bowls and flavour them-I made four flavours at a time and flavoured two bowls at a time and left the pot on the stove to keep warm and therefore not set as quickly. Stir them well and vigorously to ensure that the colour and flavour are mixed in and start dropping them into the molds. It sets faster than you would think!
4. Allow to dry overnight and once they are firm, release them from the molds. Glue halves together with the simple icing mixture.
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87 Comments | Add your own
Amazing!!
Its amazing that you made these, never heard of anyone brave enough to do this.
Amazing! I’ve never thought to make my own jelly beans, but a great idea! Love the flavors you picked.
Goodness me, where on earth did you find jelly bean moulds? I’ve never seen them before! Great job on the gross jelly beans!
Oh Lorraine, your mind works in wondrous ways! How very clever and painstakingly patient of you to make of all things, Jelly Beans.
I love the Harry Potter series in film but have not read the books.However, my daughter Gabriella just like you thinks that they are the best, has all the series and can probably recite them all!
WOW!! You are an amazing women, I never would have thought of doing something like that!
What a great idea. It would be also good to take a bag around trick or treating. It might be a trick, it might be a treat
I borrowed your pet cemetery idea for our Halloween party and everyone loved it, so easy! I did a pesto and white bean dip.
This is genius Lorraine!!! I have never thought of making my own jelly beans.
Love Harry Potter! I can’t wait to read this to my little Georgi!!!
i reckon nasa could use your services in creating space food with the likes of your garlic and vindaloo jelly beans..:)
I admire your dedication – who’d have thought you can make your own jellybeans?!?!?
Oooo that is totally fabulous – make your own jelly beans. I never would have thought it, but for Violet flavoured ones(and I do have some imported flavor in my cupboard) I would totally do it. Yes I liked the Harry Potter Books as well.
earwax. lol. i saw that in the first book and the idea of it sort of intrigued me.
oh my – these are very impressive!!!!
Your mind works so darkly, it is amazing to read about .I bet the kids here in the USA would love to have you handing out the treats to them.
I’ve never heard of anyone making jelly beans! That looks amazing.Very cool…
LOL, how fantastic, where do you find the time?
These look great Lorraine. So much work. I don’t think I share your patience
I adore Harry Potter and never get sick of reading them over and over! Sadly I tried the commercially available ‘Bertie Bott’s’ when they were out and first up got a horseradish flavoured one – the flavour I hate the most in the world! Since then I just can’t face the idea – but a violet one sounds good!
Incredible Lorraine! Harry Potter has got to be my favourite series of books also, and I’m not a huge fan of reading. Absolutely love the props you used in the photos also!
Haha that is amazing, Lorraine! What were your “not-so-nice” flavours I wonder..
I wish you had posted this yesterday!!!
LOL at Alison who liked the black pepper flavour. I would definitely be curious to try the not so nice ones
These are great! I went to the Harry Potter theme park in Florida last March, and bought a few packets of Bertie Botts Jellybeans at Honeydukes – let me tell you that vomit, bogey, grass and soap taste just as bad as you think they would!
Most awesome post yet!
Well done you! I can’t think of anyone else who would try to make their own jelly beans.
Hahaha, fabulous! Oh, I do look forward to your Halloween posts! I would definitely feature some unextpected flavours, and wasabi would probably feature in there somewhere
I applaud your patience and perseverence – I don’t think that I could have done that.
I LOVE Harry Potter. I started reading them when I was pregnant with my daughter 11 years ago and couldn’t put them down. I lined up with all the other 7-10 year olds for each book as they came out and have read the entire series to my daughters – half an hour of Harry each night was so fun. Am taking my youngest (who IS Hermione) to the exhibition in Sydney. We miss Harry…..
Oh my goodness Lani you went to Harry Potter world?
That’s a bucket list place for me 
Oh dear it sounds like they really took the brief seriously! :O
I love the Harry Potter series. I was so sad finishing the last book.
What a great idea making the jelly beans! I probably would have thrown in a strong cheese flavour and maybe some strange herb combinations.
These look so wonderful – and so unusual!
Lorraine, this is a wonderful idea. I loved Harry Potter book’s since the first one, I enjoyed the 7 books, as well as my son. We started to read very early (3 years old), one day I gave him the first book because we was making me crazy with the all day p hrase “what can I read now?” Since that, he didn’t stop, he loves HP…
When reading Harry I always felt ill when picturing the liver and tripe jelly bean. Do you think a fishy flavored one is possible with stock perhaps?
I hate to admit that I didn’t even know that you could make your own jellybeans. But if anyone could, it’s surely you! Very cute indeed. And I remember well my son daring me to eat the vomit-flavored Harry Potter bean when he was young and just had to have them.
I do not know to what I look forwards more each morning when I click on you blog: the foods/restaurants/hotels/travels or the fabulous stories which precede such
! One more imaginative than the other! I have seen a few of the Harry Potter films but lack of time has always precluded my reading the books: so many friends have enjoyed for late night reading that I simply have to create a few extra hours to my day 
! They are definitely on my bucket list!!!
This is crazy…!! You made jelly beans yourself?? You’re simply amazing, thumbs up
)!!
They look amazing. What a clever idea. Have never thought of making my own jelly beans. Haven’t all the colours worked out well! So…you’re ready for ‘trick or treat’ tonight then???
Lorraine! You incredibly creature! I thought this was going to be a product review, not that you made them yourself, you fantastic thing! I’m so in awe (as ever)
And yes, Harry Potter is very much a part of my heart. There may have been some midnight screenings, and friends of mine do Harry Potter Days every year to watch several of the movies and eat foods inspired by the books
WHo knew that you could make jelly beans? How do they compare to say a Jelly Belly in flavour and texture?
I applaud your effort and patience!
You are amazing Lorraine!
I can’t wait to try to make these.
P.S. We have a colleague we call ‘Dementor’.
OMG you’re insane. I LVOE THIS! I also love HP very very much… so Expecto Patronum away evil bosses!
Now if only I could Accio me some of these!
Amazing! Having growing up with Harry and the gang I have always wished that could try all the different and fun lollies that have
They’re perfect! I love the Harry Potter books and movies. I’d have to make a bacon flavoured jelly bean. Somehow!
And definitely a mango flavoured one!
My family have to be the biggest Harry Potter fans in the world. Our extended family think we are nuts and never understand our one liners from the movies. I am currently reading “The Goblet of Fire” for the second time and I have to say it is a fantastic book. So very well written. We have collector frames around our lounge, I told you we were fans, which we all love to look at and admire. My son is dressing up as Harry Potter today for Halloween day at kinder. He looks so cute with his fake glasses on, lol. I think we have seen each movie about 20 times at least and I think I’m being modest. As for your Bertie Botts every flavour beans, you should have tried hot english mustard or vinegar flavoured ones, lol. They would have kept your guests right on their toes. Well done for attempting to make jelly beans and succeeding.
I love Harry Potter and got a lot of sceptic friends onto it too. These are a brilliant idea for Halloween trick or treaters!
You made your own jelly beans?! Lorraine, darling, you are my hero…truly! These are so much fun. And I’m also a huge Harry Potter fan…Rowling’s creativity really is genius!
i think i know the ‘voldemort’ you have worked for. doesn’t start with ‘n’ by any chance – lol
Lorraine I’m speechless! You have surprised and amazed us once again! Congratulations on your fabulous creativity!!
Wasabi sounds great..also seaweed and natto for Japanese jelly beans
Hot chilli would be fun…and how about Worcester sauce?
Yep, Harry Potter world is quite possibly the best place on earth. I have never seen so many full grown adults crying when they got off the main ride!
I talked it up so much my partner has decided he has to go – we are heading back there end of January next year. Florida twice in 10 months from Australia should show how great it is! I highly recommend it
These are such a great idea
I have to admit, Id prob love the vindaloo and steal all those ones haha
I’m a huuuge HP fan.
I haven’t made jelly beans (too much work!), but I have tried the Bertie Bott’s. The “soap” made me nauseous for an entire day.
I’m mad for Harry Potter! I’ve read all the books and watched all the movies at least 7 times, and I read the fanfiction as well, lol.
I would make an absinthe flavoured jelly bean!
Love it. I queued on holiday in the US for the last book in the series, partly because I knew it would be cheaper than buying it in Adelaide, and partly because I HAD to have it NOW! Read it on the flight home.
Our halloween food included vomit salad, ogre finger salad, pus dip, your delightful flayed face from a few years ago which freaked everyone out (thanks!!) and was not eaten but enjoyed for its aesthetics, and your mummy hot dogs, which my daughter wants for her high tea 8th birthday party in February, minus the eyes. We had such fun. We drank blood (red wine) and green potion (lemonade) for the kids, and generally camped it up. Now we await the post school onslaught of kids collecting sweets. I plan to squirt them all with a water pistol before we hand anything over – meanie!!
Your imagination and sense of adventure never fails to surprise me Lorraine. Awesome. I can say hand on heart that I’ve never read any of the HP books – I dated a guy who resembled Harry and as an aspiring comedian, it was his shtick to act it out. I cringe every time I see a movie poster or book….
Hi Ellen-that sounds AMAZING! And do tell what is in a vomit salad! I’m so glad she liked the mummy hot dogs and that the flayed skin face freaked them out!;)
You are quite mad
) What a great fun idea.
This is SUCH a cool idea…I’d never think to make my own jelly beans. I’d like to try all your flavours…would maybe have tried a savoury one too just for a bit of fun!
How fun, I just love your commitment to the theme!
You can get some jelly-belly brand beans with hideous flavours like that as well, but they come in a packet that has nice ones in the same colour so it’s a gamble which you pick out.
I think burnt toast would be a good ‘bad’ flavour- yuck.
I know how much you love Halloween, so happy haunting to you tonight
I LOVE Harry Potter series. One of my favorite Wii game is the Harry Potter one, think you need to get that game for Mr. NQN.
Sadly enough, I am not quite intrigued to make any jelly beans yet, but would love to gain entrance to NQN’s pantry, upon muttering “lemon drop” and screamed “Accio jellybeans!” (now, how’s that for an HP geek for the day?)
Excellent!!! is there anything you can’t do?
These are fantastic I am glad there is someone out there that becomes obsessed with making recreating things! And I am going to borrow your idea for a true blood party it is going to be fabulous!
I can’t believe your comment on not being into the fantasy genre – what do you call True Blood and Halloween? (A fantasy enthusiast if ever I knew one.)
My tips for flavoured beans…
arm pit hair, Dencorub, teenage boy sweat, wet dog, ‘end of the battery’ metallic sizzle, and toe jam!
Brilliant! But I would never have the patience! I wonder how you would infuse blue cheese into the gelatin …?
for vomit.. how about some cheese? parmesan smells close to vomit to me lol.
You are just as imaginative as JK Rowling in making her recipes come to life. Happy, Happy Halloween dear Lorraine, you make it even more fun every year!
Very cool Lorraine! I think at one stage you could buy the actual Bertie Bott beans (by Jelly Belly I think), but I was too scared to try them in case we got vomit or grass flavoured ones. I’ll definitely have a go at these home made ones if I can find a mould. Happy Halloween
Brilliant!! I LOVE Harry Potter, it fits all of my childhood fantasies & then some. For some reason the first flavour I thought of was asparagus.. no idea how you’d actually make that happen!
Fantastic Lorraine! I once worked for a Voldermort type character as well. Hmmm I would love a wasabi flavoured jellybean…
I’ve never read Harry Potter! Happy Halloween!
You totally rock girl!!!!
These look amazing, best part you made them yourself….
Perfect my dear.
Truly brilliant photography!
You can put a sweet-factory because those jelly beans are superb
Cheers,
Gera
I absolutely love Harry Potter – have read all the books and seen all the movies. In fact I went on a HP walking tour in London recently. These are a great idea and well done for making your own jellybeans!
Wow! These are amazing! I love the Harry Potter books, I have read each one at least three times!
OMG WOW! I just finished my HSC and I turned my computer on to this! Soo cool
I’m such a Harry Potter fan and this is the best way to start my holiday 
Thanks NQN 
So creative! What a fun idea. I don’t even know how you’d go about recreating “vomit” beans…even if you wanted to!
Moo would adore these.
I am pretty sure she is the biggest HP fan in the world.
She has TWO HP tattoos!
what a cool idea – I love the harry potter series – such great characters – never considered making jelly beans but with such fun flavours it seems much more attractive (did you see chocolate teapot’s trick or treat cupcakes where only some had chilli in them and people had to take pot luck when they took a cupcake – a similar idea to yours that I loved)
I would never thought that there are jelly bean molds! You continue to surprise me and your blog is so entertaining with a lot of surprises in each post. I wish I could find your blog sooner because going back in archives are just impossible. But better than never I guess…
What a brilliant idea. So cute and I love all the flavors you chose.
you are so stinkin’ clever! never would i ever consider making my own jelly beans, much less ones with such fantastic flavors–bravo!
Definitely fun! I loved the Harry Potter series – I won them all, though I have lost interest in the movie versions – haven’t seen the last 2.
Waw!! You have made them so beautifully too!
I loved the Harry Potter’s books & films too! 
Yes, obsessed with Harry Potter. Yes, I’d try making nacho flavoured ones. And you, madame, are BRILLIANT!!!!!
Oooh Lorraine! I LOVE Harry Potter and have always loved the idea of the magical food, so this is pure food porn to me!! I’d love to make unusal flavours like salty popcorn and elderflower gin cocktail – experimental thought still delicious (although I’d actually love to try your vindaloo flavour!).
Briony xx
Wow, you were like a mad scientist! Black (licorice) jelly beans are my all-time favorite, so I would make those:) I am one of the few that haven’t read Harry Potter, but my son would read each one, the day they came out, till he was finished!
You must have the patience of a Saint! Very kool!
Delayed comment as I’ve been on a break, but I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!
I’ve made no secret of my absolute, enduring love for the Harry Potter series. I’m quite impressed you made your own every flavour beans! I do have a bag of them that a colleague brought back from the USA for me. There are a couple of awful flavours in it…
Love these!! And I love you for making homemade jellybeans!
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