Vanilla milkshake recipe

The History of the Milkshake

• The first formal milkshake recipe appeared in 1885, but the drink as we know it today didn’t arrive until 1922, when the electric blender was invented. That’s when Ivar “Pop” Coulson, a Walgreens employee in Chicago, had the idea of adding two scoops of vanilla ice cream to malted milk. The rest is history.
• Vanilla milkshakes became an American icon, starring in TV shows from Happy Days to Friends. You’ll find them on the menus of diners, bars, and classic American restaurants everywhere.
• Ready to taste real American flavor? Here’s my homemade vanilla milkshake recipe. Everything is made from scratch—ice cream, whipped cream, and all. Follow along step by step!

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 400 ml (1.7 cups) milk.
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream.
• Whipped cream.

For the vanilla ice cream:

• 500 ml (2.1 cups) milk.
• 6 egg yolks.
• 250 g (8.8 oz) sugar.
• 1 vanilla bean.

For the whipped cream:

• 200 ml (0.8 cups) heavy cream (40% fat).
• 40 g powdered sugar.
• 1 packet vanilla sugar.

Recipe Steps

• 1/ Start by making the vanilla ice cream. Whisk the egg yolks with 125 g of sugar until pale, thick, and smooth. In cooking terms, this is called “ribbon stage.”
• 2/ Pour the 500 ml of milk, remaining 125 g of sugar, and the scraped vanilla bean into a saucepan. Heat gently.
• 3/ When the milk reaches a boil, slowly pour it over the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
• 4/ Stir vigorously and return the mixture to the saucepan.
• 5/ Place the saucepan back on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t let it boil, or the cream will break and become lumpy. If you have a kitchen thermometer, keep the temperature below 83°C (181°F).
• 6/ Keep stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
• 7/ Let cool completely.
• 8/ Blend the mixture, then churn it in an ice cream maker. Tip: You don’t need an ice cream maker. Simply freeze the mixture in a container, then stir it with a wooden spoon every 30 minutes until it reaches the consistency of ice cream.
• 9/ Now make the whipped cream. First, place a bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• 10/ Once cold, pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whip it with the whisk or an electric mixer.
• 11/ When the cream begins to thicken, add the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Continue beating until you have whipped cream.
• 12/ Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag and refrigerate.
• 13/ Now that your vanilla ice cream and whipped cream are ready, it’s time to assemble the milkshake. It’s simple: add the ice cream and 400 ml of milk to a blender.
• 14/ Blend until thick and smooth.
• 15/ Pour into tall glasses.
• 16/ Top with whipped cream and serve. Celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 19 with a real New York-style milkshake!

Share Your Homemade Milkshakes

• Post photos of your homemade milkshakes on our Destination New York Facebook group.
• Feel free to contact me if you’d like to share a recipe or suggest a cooking challenge.