Tips: A wonderfully rich, old-fashioned, very thick milkshake, for which you'll need a powerful blender; if the ice cream refuses to blend in, "pulse" the blender off and on a few times to get things going. The malted milk powder I use (a dry, cream-colored powder made from wheat flour and malted barley extracts) is made by Carnation, and I use the original, not the chocolate flavor. The quality of the ice cream is important here, so go for the best you can find; you can substitute good chocolate sorbet, if you wish.

• 2/3 c. malted milk powder
• 1/2 c. cold milk
• 3 Tbsp. good-quality chocolate syrup
• About 1-1/2 c. (three-fourths of a pint container) best-quality chocolate ice cream

Combine first three ingredients in blender container. Cover and blend briefly at a low speed until well-mixed. Scrape down sides of blender container with rubber spatula.

To soften ice cream, remove top (and plastic liner, if any) from a one-pint carton. Microwave ice cream at 50% (medium) power for 10-20 seconds depending upon power of microwave, just until ice cream is softened. You do not want the ice cream to melt, though if a bit around the carton edges does so, it's OK. Working quickly, scoop out about three-fourths of the pint (no need to measure) in large chunks and place in blender container. Cover; blend at highest speed just until smooth. Serve immediately.

2-4 servings

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