Monster Shakes

Monster Shakes

Is it a dessert, is it a drink? No, it's a freakin' Monster Shake! Here you'll find 50 over-the-top and out-of-this-world milkshake recipes (including a whole bunch of dairy-free options) that will wow, shock, likely give you diabetes and make you the most popular Instagrammer among your friends.

These over-indulgent dessert sensations are not for the faint-hearted. Filled with delicious sugary goodness, there are no rules and no limits to what can be added: cupcakes, muffins, donuts, pretzels are all fair-game, not to mention sauces such as dulce de leche, salted caramel, or rich chocolate glazes, all garnished with more of the above and a delicately placed straw that really serves no use other than to remind you of the fact that this is, actually, a humble milkshake in disguise. Perfect for those who love indulging in the sweet stuff, so grab your mason jar, fill it until overflowing, dig in and die from happiness.

Monster Shakes
Smith Street Books
Author: Vicki Valsamis
ISBN: 9781925418200
RRP: $24.99

I Scream for Cookies and Cream

A classic diner treat monster-fied with chocolate donuts for your dunking pleasure!

Serves 2

Ingredients
Shake:
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup)
Chocolate syrup (page 120)
4 scoops cookies-and-cream ice cream

Monster Your Shake:
Chocolate Ganache (below)
4 scoops cookies-and-cream ice cream
Whipped cream (below)
2 Chocolate-frosted donuts (below)
1 cookies-and-cream chocolate bar, cut in half
6 cookies-and-cream Pocky sticks
2 ice cream wafers
1 chocolate cookie, crushed

Method
To make the shake, combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and combined.
Dip the rims of the glasses into the chocolate ganache, reserving the remainder for topping, and sit upright, allowing the ganache to drizzle down the glasses. Gently pour in the shake and top with a scoop of ice cream.
Using a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, pipe whipped cream over the shakes and around the rim of each glass. Top with the donuts, chocolate bar pieces, Pocky sticks, remaining ice cream and the wafers. Sprinkle with the crushed cookie and drizzle with the remaining ganache.

 

Chocolate Ganache

Makes 310 G (11 Oz/1¼ Cups)

Ingredients
250 g (9 oz) dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹⁄³ cup) thickened cream

Method
Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir occasionally for 3–4 minutes until melted and smooth. Add any ingredients for variations into the mixture, if using, and stir until combined.

Set aside to cool for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ganache is nice and thick.

Variations:
For White chocolate ganache, replace the dark cooking chocolate with white chocolate.

For Choc-mint ganache add ¼ teaspoon peppermint essence.

Whipped Cream

Makes 625 Ml (21 Fl Oz/2½ Cups)
Ingredients
300 ml (10 fl oz) thickened cream

Method
Place the cream in a medium-sized bowl along with any ingredients for variations, if using. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until the cream is fluffy and holds soft peaks.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container. The whipped cream will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Variations:
To colour whipped cream, add 1 drop food colouring and keep adding drops as you beat until you reach your desired shade.

For Coffee whipped cream, add 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules and 3 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar

For Peppermint whipped cream, add 5 drops peppermint essence and 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar.

For Strawberry whipped cream, add 5 drops strawberry essence and 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar.

For Vanilla bean whipped cream, add 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste and 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar.

For Orange blossom whipped cream, add 2 tablespoons orange blossom water, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar.

For Rose whipped cream, add 2 tablespoons rose water, 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners') sugar and 1 drop red food colouring.

Donuts

Makes 10-12

Ingredients
250 g (9 oz/1²⁄³ cup) plain(all-purpose) flour
3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
2½ teaspoons active dried yeast
2 eggs
80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹⁄³ cup) warm water
70 g (2½ oz) softened unsalted butter, cut into 9 cubes
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method
Place the flour, sugar, yeast, eggs and water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes or until combined and elastic. With the motor running, add the butter, one cube at a time, until incorporated. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Knock back the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured bench. Roll the dough out to 1 cm (½ in). Cut into rounds using an 8 cm (3¼ in) cookie cutter. Use a 2.5 cm (1 in) cutter to cut the holes, if required. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking tray and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or saucepan to 160°C (320°F). Fry the donuts, in batches, for 1 minute on each side or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Variations:
For Cinnamon donuts, combine ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon with 110 g (4 oz/½ cup) sugar and roll still-warm donuts in the mixture.

For Filled donuts, place 1 cup of your filling of choice into a piping bag fitted with a 5 mm (¼ in) nozzle. Insert the tip into the side of the donut and squeeze in your desired amount. If you like, roll the filled donuts in sugar or cinnamon sugar.

For Chocolate-frosted donuts, dip cooled donuts into warm Chocolate ganache (page 125) followed by chocolate sprinkles. Place on a wire rack to set.

For Frosted donuts, combine 125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) icing (confectioners') sugar with 1½ tablespoons water. While mixing, slowly add food colouring until you reach the shade you want. Dip cooled donuts into the frosting followed by sprinkles (if using). Place on a wire rack to set.

 

Maple–Bacon French Toast Bananapalooza

An epic breakfast in shake form. Stack up your candied bacon, banana and French toast and then slather it all in maple syrup.

Serves 2

Ingredients
Shake
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk
240 g (8½ oz/1 cup) mashed banana
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Caramel syrup (below)
2 scoops vanilla ice cream

Monster Your Shake
Buttercream frosting (below)
1 small banana, sliced
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
Candied bacon
Whipped cream
French toast (below)
Maple syrup, for drizzling Caramel syrup (below)

Method
To make the shake, combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and combined.
Using a spatula, smear the frosting around the outer rim of each glass then decorate with the sliced banana. Gently pour in the shake and top with a scoop of ice cream.
Place a slice of candied bacon on top of each glass. Using a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, pipe a generous amount of whipped cream on top of the shakes. Top with a piece of French toast and the remaining bacon. Drizzle with maple syrup and caramel syrup.

 

Caramel Syrup

Makes 500 Ml (17 Fl Oz/2 Cups)

Ingredients
330 g (11½ oz/1½ cups) sugar
125 g (4½ oz/²⁄³ cup lightly packed)
brown sugar
300 ml (10 fl oz) thickened cream

Method
Combine the sugar with 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) water in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, brushing any sugar from the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Increase the heat to medium–high and boil for 2 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and simmer without stirring for 10 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar and cream and stir until combined. Return to medium heat and stir for 2 minutes until smooth. Do not boil.
Set aside to cool completely before transferring into a squeeze bottle or container.
The syrup will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Variation:
For Salted caramel syrup, add 1 tablespoon of salt when adding the brown sugar and cream.

Buttercream Frosting

Makes 375 G (13 OZ/1½ CUPS)

Ingredients
125 g (4½ oz/½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
185 g (6 ½ oz/1½ cups) icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk

Method
Place the butter in a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in half the icing sugar and the milk, then the remaining icing sugar. Beat for 4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Add any ingredients for variations into the mixture, if using, and beat for another 1 minute.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container. The frosting will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Note: If you've pre-made the frosting and stored it in the fridge, allow to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to soften.

Variations:
To colour buttercream frosting, add 1 drop food colouring and keep adding drops as you stir until you reach your desired shade.

For Chocolate buttercream frosting, add 1 tablespoon sifted cocoa powder.

For Mocha buttercream frosting, add 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.

For Lemon buttercream frosting, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.

For Choc-mint buttercream frosting add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and ¼ teaspoon peppermint essence.

French Toast

Makes 2 slices

Ingredients
1 egg
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) milk
2 slices sourdough bread

Method
Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow dish then dip each slice of bread into the mixture, soaking both sides well.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry the bread for 2 minutes on each side until golden. Set aside to cool slightly before using.

Monster Shakes
Smith Street Books
Author: Vicki Valsamis
ISBN: 9781925418200
RRP: $24.99