How to Make a Milkshake Without Ice Cream

Before you start

Ice cream is just sweetened dairy frozen with fat and air, so you can rebuild most of a milkshake from parts you probably already have. The trick is freezing milk into cubes ahead of time. Blended with a little liquid milk and something rich and sweet, the frozen cubes give body and chill without the watered-down taste plain ice cubes leave behind.

Sweetened condensed milk is the most useful addition. It brings sugar, milk solids and a cooked-dairy richness that mimics ice cream, and its sugar keeps the blend smooth instead of crunchy. If you do not plan ahead, a frozen banana gives a similar result, with banana flavor. Expect a lighter, frothier drink than a diner shake; it is still thick, cold and satisfying.

Ingredients

• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk — frozen in an ice cube tray
• 60 ml (¼ cup) cold whole milk — liquid, for blending
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream — optional, for richness
• Pinch salt

Method

1. Pour 240 ml of milk into an ice cube tray and freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid.
2. Pop the milk cubes out and let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes so the outside softens slightly; this helps the blender grip them.
3. Put the liquid milk, condensed milk, vanilla, cream and salt in the blender, then add the frozen milk cubes on top.
4. Blend on low for 15 seconds to crack the cubes, then on high for 30 to 45 seconds, stopping to push down any pieces stuck under the blade.
5. Check the texture. It should be smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Add 1 tbsp more liquid milk if it is too stiff, or a few more cubes if too thin.
6. Pour into a glass and drink right away, before the froth settles.

Tips for success

• Freeze milk cubes in a silicone tray; they release more easily than from rigid plastic.
• Keep a bag of milk cubes in the freezer for up to a month and you can make this shake any time.
• A pinch of salt makes the condensed milk taste less one-note sweet.

Substitutions

Frozen milk cubes

One large frozen banana plus 120 ml liquid milk makes a thick shake with banana flavor and no pre-freezing of milk.

Sweetened condensed milk

Use 2 tbsp sugar plus 2 tbsp heavy cream, or 2 tbsp maple syrup; the shake will be a bit icier.

Whole milk

Coconut milk frozen in cubes makes a dairy-free shake; use coconut condensed milk to match.

Variations

Chocolate

Add 1 tbsp cocoa powder and 1 tbsp chocolate syrup.

Strawberry

Blend in 75 g frozen strawberries and cut the milk cubes by a third.

Troubleshooting

Icy and crunchy

Not enough sugar or fat. Add the cream and use the full amount of condensed milk, which lowers the freezing point and smooths the blend.

Blender jams

The cubes are too hard and dry. Let them soften for a few minutes and add a splash more liquid milk.

Tastes bland

Milk alone has little flavor. Add more vanilla, a pinch of salt, or a flavor such as cocoa or fruit.

Storage

Serve right away; it separates as it sits. Store unused milk cubes in a sealed freezer bag for up to a month. Opened condensed milk should be moved to a covered container and refrigerated, then used within about a week.