Recipe of the Week: VanBan Black & White Milkshake

*From a page straight out of Adam Reid’s Book “Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes”

 

I admit to taking liberties with the notion of black & white, which is commonly recognized as a shake made with chocolate syrup, the black, and vanilla ice cream, the white. Well, I couldn’t shake (pun intended) the vision of New York black & white cookies; one half is frosted with chocolate fondant, and the other half with vanilla fondant. Both are present and accounted for, yet separate and distinct. So that is the route we’ll take with our VanBan Black & White—separate and distinct chocolate and vanilla shakes, layered in the glass.
 

As if layering two flavors wasn’t enough, I also give the vanilla portion of the program a little twist by adding some banana (hence the VanBan moniker), which goes so well with the chocolate. It’s very helpful to have two blenders for this shake. If you don’t, make one of the shakes first and store it in the refrigerator while you rush to make the second flavor.

*Makes about 31/2 cups | 28 ounces | 850 milliliters

 

Place 1/4 cup of the milk, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and the banana in a blender and blend to mix thoroughly, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla ice cream and pulse several times to begin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour the shake into a small pitcher, and refrigerate while making the other flavor (if you have two blenders, keep the shake in the blender jar).

If necessary, rinse the blender jar, shake out any excess water, and return it to the base. Place the remaining ¼ cup milk, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and the chocolate ice cream and sorbet in the blender and pulse several times to begin breaking up the ice cream and sorbet. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds.
 

Into one or two tall, chilled glasses, pour a layer of VanBan shake, followed by a layer of chocolate, another layer of VanBan, another layer of chocolate, and finishing with a last layer of VanBan on top. Serve at once.

 

1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk (about
4 ounces/125 milliliters)

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 ripe medium banana (2 to 3 ounces/57 to 85 grams), peeled and mashed

2 medium scoops chocolate sorbet (about 1/2 pint/
6 ounces/170 grams), softened until just melty at the edges