Milkshake

Every time I visit Venice, Italy, one of my first stops is Cipriani for their signature Bellini cocktail, a wonderful mixture of fresh peach puree topped with cold sparkling Champagne. To make my milkshake version kid-friendly, just top it off with a splash of seltzer water.

A perfectly baked golden buttery crust filled with rich lemon custard and topped with a light and fluffy meringue is pretty much heaven. Well, now you can have your pie and drink it, too. Top this one off with a large dollop of “Fluffy” Whipped Cream and garnish it with a vanilla cookie for crunch. Yum! Are you in the mood for a Key lime pie? Substitute Key lime curd, lime zest, and lime juice for the lemon.

I like mint–chocolate chip ice cream, but I think this shake with the same combination of flavors hits it out of the park. Even forgetting the scary, unnatural green color, most commercial mint ice creams taste a touch artificial. Steeping fresh mint leaves in milk and adding that to vanilla ice cream perfumes the shake with a bold yet refreshing mintiness. This recipe makes enough mint-flavored milk for two 16-ounce shakes (or four 8-ounce shakes). If you’re going to go to the trouble, you may as well make enough to share. The milk will keep for several days in the refrigerator. I have never liked the way chocolate chips mix—or, rather, don’t mix—into shakes. You can never get the pieces through your straw! I speckle this shake with chocolate by slowly pouring warm melted chocolate into the whirring blender; when it hits the cold ice cream mixture, the chocolate hardens into small drinkable flakes.

A black and white milkshake is a chocolate milkshake made with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Think of this as a more delicate version of a chocolate milkshake.

I love the nuttiness and crunchiness that toasted and chopped almonds add to this milkshake. Just a tiny drop of almond extract is needed to enhance the flavor of the nuts; it should veer toward subtle as opposed to overwhelming. Though the basic recipe is delicious as is, you can also take some liberties, and I have given a couple of suggestions for doing so below. I am partial to the Chocolate Almond Coconut Milkshake, which tastes just like one of my favorite candy bars.

This is my homage to what I consider to be one of the best candy bars on the planet: Fran’s Coconut Gold Bar created by Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle, Washington. The bar consists of bittersweet chocolate wrapped around a creamy coconut–white chocolate ganache center. It’s off-the-charts good! To achieve that contrast between the bitter dark chocolate and the sweet coconut ganache in a milkshake, I combine a double chocolate shake with a mousse-like coconut whipped cream and layer this shake like a parfait. All you need to do is dig in your straw and stir for a little bit of heaven.

What could be better than a chocolate milkshake? A double chocolate milkshake made with premium chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup. You can turn this into a malted by adding the malt powder or into a chocolate soda milkshake by adding a splash of seltzer water.

This milkshake is so simple but so incredibly amazing and rich. I put this on the menu at Bobby’s Burger Palace and I have one every time I am there.

This is my take on my favorite frozen coffee drink from that endlessly popular coffee chain—you know the one. As with most things, the homemade version beats the store-bought hands down. Top yours with lots of freshly whipped cream and, if you are really looking for a jolt, a smattering of chocolate-covered espresso beans, and the mass-market variety doesn’t stand a chance.

Crackles of chocolate are better than chips in milkshakes because they fit through the straw. You’re also better off starting with bar chocolate instead of chips because the chocolate is usually of a better quality. Make sure the banana is really ripe and the chocolate is still warm when you drizzle it into the milkshake. Warm chocolate combined with the cold ice cream will instantly harden, making thin little strings of chocolate.

If you are craving a milkshake and still want to be able to feel somewhat virtuous, go for this shake. Blueberries and pomegranates are both proud members of the “superfoods” category and are packed with antioxidants. Of course, the main reason I use them is for their sweet yet slightly tart taste. Their fantastic color doesn’t hurt, either. Thick and tangy pomegranate molasses, which is a reduction of the fruit’s juice along with sugar and some form of citric acid, can be found in Middle Eastern markets and online.

Simply delicious, the strawberry milkshake is an enduring favorite. I prefer to make mine with strawberry ice cream and a strawberry puree, but vanilla ice cream will work in a pinch. The sweet berry puree blends with the milk and ice cream into what looks like your standard strawberry shake, but tastes worlds better thanks to the fresh, undiluted nature of the berries.

As a native New Yorker, I grew up eating my fair share of Junior’s cheesecake from Brooklyn, and I have to admit that it still continues to be one of my favorite desserts to this day. So while coming up with ideas for this chapter, I thought, cream cheese—in a milkshake? Why not? I know that strawberries are the traditional fruit topping for a cheesecake, and you can definitely use them or any other berry or fruit in the recipe, but I have a special fondness for blackberries. This milkshake is so rich, you might want to share.

Though this shake isn’t as thick as some, it’s still incredibly rich and really satisfies that chocolate craving. In the evening, I love to add Triple Sec or orange liqueur to make it even more indulgent. The liqueur really adds even more depth and makes the shake something special. But either way, I’m sure you’ll find it delicious!

This is a great recipe if you have a craving for something sweet but don’t want to indulge in an overly caloric dessert. With each serving having only 85 calories and 2 grams of fat, you can save yourself the trip and the cost of going to a coffee shop with a friend and indulge right in your own kitchen.

My weakness for ice cream is well known, and the name of this drink says it all.

You don't need a juicer to make this sweet, smooth drink, which is rich in vitamins A and C—a blender can puree the fibrous kale and soft kiwi and banana.

Yogurt drinks are popular throughout India—some are flavored with sugar or fruit, while others, like this one, are more savory. "I give sample tastes of this all the time at the restaurant," says Susan Feniger, "and people are shocked by how refreshing it is."