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DIY Polyjuice Potion Kit | Harry Potter

Bryton Taylor

Ingredients
  

  • red cabbage OR fresh or frozen berries * see notes
  • bicarbonate soda OR pH booster drops
  • water
  • clear cordial: elderflower lime, lemon OR flavoured water drops
  • lemon juice OR lime juice OR citric acid

Instructions
 

  • Extract the pigment.
  • Red cabbage.
  • •Chop up or grate half a red cabbage (or one small cabbage), place it into a large saucepan and fill with just enough water to cover the cabbage.
  • •Either let this sit in water for several hours or help speed up the process by bringing to a simmer for 20 minutes until the water is a dark purple.
  • •Let the cabbage water cool before straining into a potions bottle for serving.
  • Blueberry, cranberry, blackberry, black currant.
  • •Place fresh or frozen berries in a bowl, mash to break them up, then pour just a bit boiling water over them.
  • •Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then strain using a fine cheesecloth or tea strainer.
  • Create your potion.
  • •In a glass filled with 250mL of water, add in just enough base colour to change the colour of your water.
  • •Drop in several drops of pH booster drops or sprinkle a pinch of bicarbonate soda. The colour will turn to a shade of blue to green depending on the pH level.
  • •Next pour in your clear cordial, following the bottles measurement suggestions for a 250mL drink.
  • •You may, in advance, add in some additional lemon juice or stir in some citric acid to your cordial before adding, for a more vibrant result.
  • •Alternatively, you can have another test tube filled with lemon juice or a small potion bottle with a sprinkling of citric acid for the final result.
  • •Give the potion a final stir with your 'wand'. The end result will be a shade of pink to red, depending on the acidity level.

Notes

* Berries include blueberries, cranberries, blackberry, blackcurrant.
**Only fresh or frozen berries should be used. The blueberry or cranberry juice that you buy in the supermarkets often contain acidity regulators in the form of lemon juice, so will be too acidic to start with. These berries each have a different starting base colour, however, all can have a magical transformation.
*** You can prepare your base colour the day before your party.
Tried this recipe?Many recipes are adapted from historical cookbooks so share your own tips & tweaks below to help others! 📝 Include ingredients or steps you modified and let everyone know how it turned out. Just remember, keep the conversation as warm and welcoming as Mrs. Weasley's kitchen, please. ❤️