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Essentials: Vanilla Milkshakes

Source of Recipe

From "The Ultimate Burger" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Milkshakes are a perennial favorite, and it's no wonder: After all, a thick, creamy milkshake is an indulgent treat for kids and adults alike. Hoping to recreate a classic diner shake at home, we turned to our trusty food processor. Unlike a narrow blender, the larger bowl of the food processor exposed more of the work bowl, resulting in a lighter, frothier shake that was easy to sip through a straw. Additionally, the slightly higher heat generated by the food processor's blade caused more of the ice cream's tiny crystals to melt slightly, creating a smooth milkshake that remained cold but fluid. To amp up the vanilla flavor in our milkshake, we added a pinch of salt, which also offset the sweetness. For a chocolate version, we turned to cocoa powder (chocolate sauce was much too sweet), and added malted milk powder for a complex, well-rounded flavor. A little extra salt along with some caramel sauce gave us a tasty salted caramel milkshake, while thawed frozen strawberries made for a vibrant strawberry shake. Serving these milkshakes in chilled glasses helps them stay colder longer. Our favorite vanilla ice cream is Ben & Jerry's Vanilla."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 cups vanilla ice cream
â—¦ ½ cup milk
â—¦ Pinch table salt


Recipe

Place two pint glasses in freezer and chill until ready to serve.

Let ice cream sit at room temperature to soften slightly, about 15 minutes.

Process ice cream, milk, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Pour milkshakes into chilled glasses and serve.

Serves 2



Variations:

• Chocolate-Malt Milkshakes:
Add ¼ cup malted milk powder and 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder to processor with other ingredients.

• Salted Caramel Milkshakes:
Increase salt to ¼ teaspoon. Add ¼ cup caramel sauce to processor with other ingredients.

• Strawberry Milkshakes:
Process 1 pound (3 ½ cups) thawed frozen strawberries in processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce ice cream to 2 cups and milk to ¼ cup and add to processor with puréed strawberries and salt and proceed with recipe as directed.