Summer Milkshakes

This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.

Because we can never have too many treats in our lives, ice cream lovers take note: it’s milkshake season! Sure, I made it up but who’s going to argue? For this week’s Cooking with Heinen’s post, I’m making milkshakes. Not just any runny, processed, fast food, milkshakes, but thick, decadent whole food ingredient shakes.

There are so many combinations. Salted caramel, Oreo Cheesecake, Captain Crunch – yes it’s good!  How about a Pecan Pie Bourbon Milkshake?  I’ve got that delicious recipe here.

Here are a few concoctions from my own kitchen. This assignment was officially my kids favorite. My recipes below are merely suggestions. Please feel free to adjust the amounts to your liking. Each batch makes two to three servings depending on the size glass. I use a powerful blender and always start with a minimal amount of liquid. You can always add if your blender struggles but the ultimate goal is the thickest possible shake. This leads me to another suggestion: use quality ice cream. I usually buy the gallon jug of cheap, no-name ice cream. However, for shakes, the higher the quality (which usually directly corresponds to the simplicity of its whole ingredients and the butter fat content), the better.  This is a perfect time to splurge.

Lemon Mascarpone Cardamom Milkshake

If you follow me at TableandDish you may have already figured out that I have a weakness for anything made with lemons.  One of my favorite treats is to mix Mascarpone cheese and lemon curd and put it on…anything; scones, biscuits, cake or just a spoon. So it was a logical leap for me to mix it with a bit of vanilla ice cream and make a shake. The added element of Cardamom  has a way of making even mundane foods something completely different.  It can overpower other flavors so it pairs well with simple ingredients. It has a complex taste that starts bold and leaves you with hints of lemon, mint, and smoke.

• Start with 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• Two scoops lemon sorbet
• Add about 1/4 cup of lemon curd
• Add 1/4 cup of Mascarpone cheese
• Add a teaspoon of fresh Cardamom
• Start with a little milk or half and half add just enough to blend
• Top with whipped cream and a slight sprinkle of fresh Cardamom

Chocolate Cold Brew Malt Ball Shake

Malted milk balls, double chocolate ice cream and cold brew coffee – a trifecta of taste. We’re throwing it way back with the malted milk balls giving the coffee/chocolate combo a thick, rich texture. If you want to keep this one for just the grown-ups, try adding a bit of Kahlua.

• Start with 1 1/2 pint chocolate ice cream
• Add 1/4 cup of cold brew unsweetened coffee
• 1/4 cup of half-and-half
• Add a handful of chocolate covered malted milk balls
• Blend
• Top with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a few crushed malt balls

Blueberry Açai Buttermilk Shake

This next one has another ingredient that takes me way back to my early days in my footie pajamas, cooking with my Mom.  She loved to use buttermilk and I always had a little glass of it while she cooked. The tart buttery flavor mixes great with rich vanilla bean ice cream and fresh blueberry and açai berry puree. If you’re going to treat yourself, at least include a superfood!

• 1 1/2 pint Vanilla ice cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 pack thawed açai juice*
• Blend
• Top with whipped cream

*I use the organic Açai fruit purée by Amafruits in the Heinen’s freezer section. But you could substitute Açai juice.

Strawberry Basil Milkshake

Last but not least, the classic strawberry milkshake with a fresh addition of sweet basil. There’s nothing better than fresh strawberries in a milkshake. Sure you could use strawberry syrup, but nothing can imitate that actual fresh flavor of real strawberries. ‘Tis the season! They’re abundant; go get them.

• 1 1/2 pint of strawberry ice cream
• 6 finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 8 to 10 large fresh strawberries
• Add a little strawberry simple syrup*
• Blend

*simple syrups are simply a combination of equal parts of sugar and water combined with an additional part of fresh fruit brought to a boil then simmered until thickened. Strain and allow to cool to room temperature.  They last a week or so in the refrigerator. I like to make earl grey tea simple syrup. It gives a subtle tea flavor to whatever you use it in (like your favorite cocktail perhaps). Have fun experimenting with simple syrups.