How to Make a Milkshake at Home, Milk Bar Style

How to Make a Milkshake at Home, Milk Bar Style

Remember the milk bar milkshake? The tall metal cup, sweating with cold. The froth that hit your nose before the straw hit your mouth. The leftover in the cup that was basically a second milkshake. Good news: you can make exactly that at home, and it takes about two minutes.

The trick to how to make a milkshake properly isn't fancy equipment. It's a ratio, very cold milk and a topping with real flavour. Get those three right and you'll never buy a sad servo shake again.

The golden milkshake ratio

Start with 30 mL of topping to 250 mL of chilled milk. That's one press of a 30 mL syrup pump, which takes the guesswork (and the sticky bottle neck) out of it. From there, adjust to taste: a little more for the sweet tooth in the house, a little less if you like it subtle.

Ingredients (makes 1 large shake)

• 250 mL full-cream milk, straight from the back of the fridge
• 30 mL Edlyn topping in your favourite flavour
• 1–2 scoops vanilla ice cream

Method

1. Chill your glass or metal cup in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Add the milk, topping and ice cream to a blender or milkshake spindle.
3. Blend for 30–60 seconds, until thick and frothy on top.
4. Pour, add a straw and drizzle a little extra topping down the inside of the glass for show.

Five tips for a better shake

• Colder is better. Warm milk gives a flat, thin shake. Everything should be fridge-cold or colder.
• Full-cream froths best. The fat holds the air. Skim works, but it's sadder.
• Don't over-blend. Past a minute, the ice cream melts and the shake goes thin.
• Want a thickshake? Halve the milk and double the ice cream. Bring a spoon.
• Use real topping, not cordial. A proper milkshake topping is thicker and carries more flavour, so you're not watering things down.

Which flavour should you pick?

The classics never miss: chocolate, caramel, strawberry and vanilla. For something a bit retro, try banana or honeycomb. And if you grew up near a milk bar, you already know about Blue Heaven, the bright blue milkshake that's pure nostalgia in a glass.

Fancy something different? Cookies & cream, mango, lime and spearmint all make great shakes, and lime is a classic for spiders too.

Feeling brave? Mix two flavours. Chocolate and banana is a proper old-school combination, and caramel with a splash of coffee topping makes a very grown-up shake.

Why a 3 L bottle makes sense

At 30 mL a shake, one 3 L bottle makes around 100 milkshakes. That's a whole summer of school holidays, a few birthday parties and at least one "just one more" weekend. Edlyn toppings are made in Australia. Store them as directed on the bottle.

FAQ

How much syrup goes in a milkshake? Start with 30 mL of topping per 250 mL of cold milk, then adjust to taste. A 30 mL pump makes it one press per shake.

Can I make a milkshake without ice cream? Yes. Blend milk and topping with a handful of ice for a lighter, frothy shake. Ice cream just makes it thicker and creamier.

Can I make a dairy-free milkshake? Yes. Use a barista-style oat or soy milk, which froths better than most, and a dairy-free frozen dessert. Check each topping's label, as some flavours, such as caramel, contain milk.

Shake things up

Browse all 12 flavours in our Edlyn range. We deliver free on the Mornington Peninsula for orders over $120 and ship Australia-wide.