Fresh Mint–Chocolate Speckled Milkshake

Name: Fresh Mint–Chocolate Speckled Milkshake
Yield: Makes one 16-ounce milkshake or two 8-ounce milkshakes
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk; 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves plus 4 whole mint leaves and additional sprigs, for garnish (optional); 2 tablespoons sugar; 11 ounces premium vanilla ice cream (about 1 3/4 packed cups); 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate bar (don’t use chips), melted and kept warm

December 9, 2011

I like mint–chocolate chip ice cream, but I think this shake with the same combination of flavors hits it out of the park. Even forgetting the scary, unnatural green color, most commercial mint ice creams taste a touch artificial. Steeping fresh mint leaves in milk and adding that to vanilla ice cream perfumes the shake with a bold yet refreshing mintiness. This recipe makes enough mint-flavored milk for two 16-ounce shakes (or four 8-ounce shakes). If you’re going to go to the trouble, you may as well make enough to share. The milk will keep for several days in the refrigerator. I have never liked the way chocolate chips mix—or, rather, don’t mix—into shakes. You can never get the pieces through your straw! I speckle this shake with chocolate by slowly pouring warm melted chocolate into the whirring blender; when it hits the cold ice cream mixture, the chocolate hardens into small drinkable flakes.

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