tips for making milkshakes

[Anonymous]

My kids have discovered the joy of milkshakes . I now make them once a week or so, but I can't seem to get the ratio correct. I use about 1 cup ice cream to 1/2 cup milk. I use good quality full fat ice cream and 2% milk. Yet the milkshakes always seem to come out of the blender jar as an icy clump of ice cream surrounded by liquid. I want the shakes to be thick and creamy and evenly blended. Any tips you can give me? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Put the ice cream into the blender. Pour milk until it just about covers the ice cream. Blend. Add more milk if needed.

I worked at an ice cream shop for years. You'll learn to eyeball ratios, but remember that it's always easier to add more milk than more ice cream!

[Anonymous]

I used to work at an ice cream shop. Initials are HD.

Here's how I learned - without measuring. Scoop in as much ice cream as you want. Then pour milk in and keep pouring until the milk covers most of the ice cream. That's it.

(Just realized i basically said the exact same thing as :58.)

[Anonymous]

Anytime something isn't blending well in a blender, that should blend ok, add more liquid.

[Anonymous]

Honestly it sounds like your blender doesn't work well.

[Anonymous]

And blend for longer than you think you should. But PPs are correct, add ice cream (plenty of it), and the milk up to close to the top. And chocolate sauce if you want chocolate milk shakes.

[Anonymous]

My husband works at a popular milkshake destination, they use half and half instead of milk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And blend for longer than you think you should. But PPs are correct, add ice cream (plenty of it), and the milk up to close to the top. And chocolate sauce if you want chocolate milk shakes.

Yes! Chocolate shakes are not made from chocolate ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anytime something isn't blending well in a blender, that should blend ok, add more liquid.

Kahlua. (mom only!)

[Anonymous]

Fill the relevant cup with ice cream and then fill in th crack with milk. Then pour it in the blender.

But the way you are describing your results, you don't have a ratio problem - you are using the blender wrong. Unless you have a bar blender, you should be pulsing a few seconds at a time at the beginning, before turning it on a consistent speed. You also may need to scrape down or stir it once. It sounds like your ratio is fine but it's not mixing evenly.

[Anonymous]

My dad used to make them in a mixing bowl with an old-fashioned hand-crank egg beater. They came out a little lumpy, but wonderful. One of my favorite childhood memories.

[Anonymous]

I tried a recipe once that insisted on high quality ice cream, whole milk, and added sugar and vanilla... It was incredibly delicious but so terrible for you.

4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk, less for thicker milkshakes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I tried a recipe once that insisted on high quality ice cream, whole milk, and added sugar and vanilla... It was incredibly delicious but so terrible for you.

4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk, less for thicker milkshakes

You don't need the sugar. It'll taste plenty sweet without that.

[Anonymous]

never never use 2% milk. gross.

[Anonymous]

I don't think your ratios are the problem. Blend longer, stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula once or twice, and keep blending. It can take a while.