Classic Milkshake

Ingredients

• 1 pint ice cream (about 2 cups)
• 2/3 cup milk, preferably whole
• 1 tablespoon malted milk powder or powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
• 1 tablespoon vanilla or chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or espresso powder
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped candy, nuts, cookies, or fruit
• Chocolate syrup or sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Whipped cream
• Maraschino cherries
• Sprinkles
• Finely chopped nuts

Method

1. Let 1 pint ice cream sit out at room temperature until starting to soften, 10 to 15 minutes (softened ice cream will blend with ease and require less milk to get things moving). Give the container a squeeze - it shouldn't be rock hard and should give slightly when it's ready.
2. Meanwhile, chill the glasses and prepare any mix-ins. If you have room in your freezer, stick 2 tall drinking or milkshake glasses in there, or else chill the glasses in the refrigerator. This will ensure the milkshake stays cold as long as possible. Coarsely chop until you have 1/2 cup mix-ins of your choice, you want the pieces to be about 1/2-inch.
3. Layer the ingredients in a blender in this order: 2/3 cup milk, flavor boost if using, and softened ice cream. Don't put in any mix-ins yet!
4. Starting on the lowest speed and working your way up to medium speed, blend until the milkshake is smooth and pourable, about 1 minute. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides or stir as needed to keep things moving. You want a final consistency that pours like lava.
5. If using mix-ins, add 1/2 cup to the blender and stir it in so that it's submerged. Pulse a few times (6 to 8 pulses) to just combine, do not overmix or the mix-ins will pulverize and make the milkshake gritty.
6. If desired, drizzle some chocolate syrup or caramel sauce down the sides of the chilled glasses. Divide the milkshake between the glasses. Garnish with toppings as desired and serve immediately with straws.
7. Ice cream: For homemade milkshakes, it's best to start with ice cream that doesn't already have mix-ins. You can use any flavor you like (vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry are classic!). Instead, add mix-ins separately at the end so they get chopped up small enough to suck up the straw, but not so small that they turn the whole milkshake gritty.
8. Milk: You'll need 2/3 cup milk, which is enough to get things moving but doesn't overwhelm the ice cream flavor. Whole milk makes the creamiest milkshakes, but work with what you've got!
9. 1 tablespoon flavor boosts: A spoonful of malted milk powder or powdered milk adds extra creaminess that takes milkshakes to the next level. You can also add chocolate syrup or vanilla syrup, or even strawberry jam. If adding an extract, like vanilla, only use 1 teaspoon.
10. 1/2 cup mix-ins: This includes crunchy bits like cookies, candies, or nuts.
11. Toppings: For a classic diner-style shake, crown the top of the milkshakes with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Or, have fun with chocolate syrup by drizzling it down the sides of the glasses before you pour the milkshake in.
12. My favorite milkshake combos - Mocha Almond Fudge: coffee ice cream + chocolate sauce + almonds. Strawberry Pie: strawberry ice cream + strawberry jam + shortbread cookies. Vanilla Oreo: vanilla bean ice cream + vanilla extract + Oreo cookies. Malted Chocolate Crunch: chocolate ice cream + malted milk powder + malted milk balls.
13. A regular blender works well. Unless you're a milkshake fanatic, you probably don't have a classic milkshake or drink machine (the small appliance with a wand that sticks down into a metal cup). These machines do an excellent job of gently churning ice cream and milk together without pulverizing any mix-ins like cookies or fruit, but not having one shouldn't stop you from making milkshakes. A regular blender can work just as well if you keep a few things in mind.
14. Stick to plain ice cream flavors that don't have mix-ins. The blades of a blender are what make them great for blending smoothies and pureeing soups, but they'll chop solid bits in ice cream like cookie dough into too-small pieces. It's best to add the mix-ins at the very end and pulse briefly until just combined.
15. Once you've created your dream milkshake, pour it into chilled glasses and garnish to your heart's content. Serve with straws and a long spoon if you've got chunky mix-ins.