Can I pre-make milkshakes?

June 15, 2009 7:05 AM

I want to serve milkshakes at a party I'm having, but I don't want to operate a single blender for an hour or so. Is there a way to make these in advance?

So, I found this recipe - Bourbon Milkshakes.

It's pretty tasty (my own personal notes say less milk, a little more ice, a little more Bourbon). I'd like to serve them to people at an upcoming party (~30 people). I have a single blender, but would prefer not to be using a high speed blender for an hour while my guests are there. In recent tests, one blender can hold enough for about four small servings.

Can i make these in advance? Or should I just pre-portion all of the ingredients so that a batch only takes a few seconds?

posted by jmevius to food & drink (8 comments total)

Can you buy an immersion blender? If I was having this party, I would pre-portion the ingredients into glasses, set them all in the freezer, and then have each guest blend their own at a little immersion blender station. Milkshakes take maybe 30 seconds to blend, in my experience.

Immersion blenders are available at Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:12 AM on June 15

I can attest from experience that putting milkshakes in the freezer is a bad idea. What gives milkshakes their nice texture is the blend of milkfats and tiny ice crystals. When you stick it in the freezer, the tiny ice crystals fuse and you are left with a not-very-appetizing block of milky ice.

As a side note, this is why places like Cold Stone Creamery beat up their ice cream when you order it. It breaks up the ice crystals.
posted by arcolz at 7:26 AM on June 15

The main problem you're going to have pre-making these is storage, the fridge is likely not cold enough, the freezer too cold. A cooler might work.

I'd make them all up and store the batch in your freezer. it may take a quick spin in the blender to get it back to consistency but that should be far less work.

Maybe a "blender bar" with the premade shakes, cup and a blender and let people blend their own.
posted by bitdamaged at 7:28 AM on June 15

Here's one idea. I recently discovered that the bottom of most blenders (the part with the blades) can be unscrewed. Coincidentally, the threads on that bottom part perfectly fit the threads on mason jars (at least with my blender and most others I've seen).

I always make my shakes in mason jars now and just drink right of of the jars. The smaller container produces an easier to mix (and tastier) shake!

My recommendation would be to get a bunch of mason jars and pre-fill them with ice cream and other ingredients (sans milk). When you're ready to serve them at your party, just pour a splash of milk in each jar, scew on the blender base, and blend each one for 10-20 seconds.

That way you have a very creamy milkshake and you've done as much prep work as possible.

Good luck!
posted by siclik at 8:13 AM on June 15 [2 favorites]

I wonder if you can rent a milkshake machine? I've been to parties with rented slurpee machines, used to make some fine frozen margaritas.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:55 AM on June 15

Couldn't you just make up the Milk Bourbon mixture in advance (store in the freezer / fridge ) then make a batch when required?

blend it and let peopel serve themselves.
or get 2-3 friends to also be on Milkshake patrol? to make up more whenever the blender is empty.
posted by mary8nne at 9:13 AM on June 15

Among 30 people, surely there are additional blenders available for you to borrow.
posted by rhizome at 10:21 AM on June 15

Among 30 people, surely there are additional blenders available for you to borrow

Yes! I had a grilled cheese party, and despite the fact I don't own an indoor grill, we ended up with a George Foreman, a NEXT GRILLERATION FUCK YEAH gigante George Foreman, and a panini press. People will bring appliances if you ask nicely.
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:19 AM on June 15