How To Make An Epic Vanilla Milkshake

Thick, drool-worthy milkshakes… Aren’t they the best? I’ve consumed more than my fair share over the years. Fun fact: my parents used to own a restaurant and I was the designated milkshake gal. Quality control never tasted so good. But the milkshakes back then looked and tasted nothing like the ones I’ve had in recent years. There’s only one word to describe the diet-busting, over-the-top creations circulating on social media: EPIC. Yes, these morphed desserts come with more calories than you’ll need in a day, but — according to the Loblaw 2018 Canadian Food Trends — it turns out that Canadians are throwing out the rule book and embracing outrageous desserts this summer. I’m all for occasional indulgence so I thought I’d share a few tips on how you can take your milkshake game to a whole new level. I present to you, my version of the freak shake:

This is quite possibly the most fun you’ll have creating a dessert. That’s because freak shakes are all about decadent ingredients and a stack of toppings. The biggest challenge? Balance! Confession: I’ve made a few that have toppled. But in my opinion, if it’s not messy and oozing everywhere, it’s not really a freak shake. Here’s what you’ll need (full recipe at the bottom of this post):

The Glass

Put your mason jar in the freezer to get a nice frost on it. A cold glass will also help with the inevitable freak shake melt and give you a bit more time to sip on the beauty you’ve created. Do NOT add ice to your milkshake: it will dilute the flavours.

Line the inside of the mason jar with a syrup or paste — I went with the PC Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste in this version. It’s thick and intensely aromatic.

The Ice Cream

Quality ice cream is essential since it’s the base of your milkshake. I personally love the PC Black Label Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream. It’s made in Canada using whole cream, vanilla, egg yolks and sugar. It’s creamy and perfect for freak shakes. My recipe calls for a lot of ice cream (500 ml) — I usually blend half into the milkshake and throw a couple of scoops in after to help build the height since the balls will float.

The Milk

Use whole milk. This is not the time to substitute less-fatty options!! Go big or go home friends. If you want a milkshake that is thicker or thinner, adjust the amount of milk.

The Toppings

This is where alllll the fun comes in. It’s like decorating a Christmas Tree, but being able to eat the results. When it comes to freak shakes, the popular thought is that anything and everything goes. BUT I’m a true believer that there’s an art to crafting these beauties. Think about the textures, flavour profiles and combos.

If you want to decorate the rim of your jar (and you should), you’ll need a very thick and sticky substance. Many use ganache, but I’m a die-hard Nutella fan so I smeared mine with the heavenly spread.

And since Nutella and bananas go hand-in-hand, I added some and poked them with PC Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks to add a bit of salt and crunch (they’re made with rice flour and sea salt – yum!)

For a pop of colour and a hint of strawberry flavour, I drizzled PC Black Label Fruit Spread, British Columbia Strawberry on my freak shake (this spread is incredible btw so save some for scones/breaky!!)

To build height and a base for the lava cake I ambitiously decided to perch on top, I added a few tablespoons of whipped cream and sprinkled on some shaved Lindt chocolate for texture…

I recently fell in love with PC Milk Chocolate Crepes so I wedged a couple of those in the whipped cream. Made in France, they’re super light (so they won’t sink), delicate and crisp.

I think my favourite, over-the-top element is The Decadent Molten Chocolate Cake (I made mine using the mix, but you can also buy them pre-made). It tastes SO GOOD and just screams indulgent dessert. This is food porn at its best…

And for whimsical flair, I topped off my freak shake with some vanilla cotton candy. VOILA:

The Recipe

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 1

Milkshake

1 tub of PC Vanilla Ice Cream (500 ml)

1/2 cup of whole milk

2-3 teaspoons of PC Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste (to line the jar)

Toppings

2 tablespoon of Nutella

1/4 banana, sliced

8-10 PC Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks

2 teaspoons of PC Black Label Fruit Spread, British Columbia Strawberry

2 squares of Lindt Excellence chocolate bar (70%), shave

1/2 Decadent Molten Chocolate Cake

Vanilla Cotton Candy

3-4 tablespoons of whipped cream

2 PC Milk Chocolate Crepes

A huge thanks to Loblaw for sponsoring this recipe post. I practically live at the grocery chain so I’m thrilled to be one of their 2018 Canadian Food Trends’ influencers. If you missed the first trend (Leftovers Revival), check out my vid on IG and follow along via #TasteTheNewNext to see upcoming food trends.