Festival of  flavours

Vanilla

Vanilla ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + Vanilla ice cream

Vanilla malted ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 1 tablespoon malt powder + Vanilla ice cream

Vanilla spice ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + Vanilla ice cream + 1 tablespoon malt powder + a good pinch each of ground cardamom, cinnamon and ginger

Vanilla coffee ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + Vanilla ice cream or Coffee ice cream + 1–1½ tablespoons Coffee syrup

Honey jumble ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 1½ tablespoons honey + 2 teaspoons Ginger syrup + Vanilla ice cream) + 1½ tablespoons malt powder + a large pinch of ground cinnamon

Chocolate

Chocolate 1½–2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Chocolate ice cream

Choc hazelnut 2 teaspoons chocolate hazelnut spread + 1 tablespoon Chocolate syrup + Vanilla ice cream or Caramel hazelnut ice cream

Choc-malted 1½ tablespoons malt powder + 1½–2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Vanilla ice cream

After-dinner mint 1 tablespoon Chocolate syrup + 1 tablespoon Mint syrup + Chocolate ice cream

Chocwork orange 1½ tablespoons Chocolate syrup + 1½ teaspoons sweet orange marmalade + 3 teaspoons malt powder + Chocolate ice cream

Lamington 1½–2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Chocolate ice cream; for dairy-free use Coconut ice cream and use coconut milk in place of dairy milk

Peanut butter cup 2½ teaspoons smooth peanut butter + 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Chocolate ice cream

Chocolate bullet 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Liquorice ice cream

Caramel

Caramel ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Vanilla ice cream

Caramel malted ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 1½ tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Vanilla ice cream + 1 tablespoon malt powder

Salted caramel 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + a pinch of fine sea salt + Golden caramel or Salted caramel ice cream

Creme caramel 2 tablespoons Crème pâtissière + Vanilla ice cream + 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup

Caramel haze 2 tablespoons Chocolate syrup + Caramel hazelnut ice cream

caramel coffee 1 tablespoon Chocolate syrup + 1 tablespoon Coffee syrup + 1 tablespoon malt powder + Chocolate ice cream

Coconut

Coconut Use coconut milk in place of dairy milk; add Coconut ice cream + ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 1½ tablespoons Sugar syrup or honey

Coconut lime Use coconut milk in place of dairy milk; add 1½ tablespoons Lime syrup, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice + Vanilla ice cream or Coconut ice cream

Pine lime dream Use equal quantities coconut milk and pineapple juice; add 3 teaspoons Lime syrup + Coconut ice cream

Tropicana Use coconut milk in place of dairy milk; add 1½ tablespoons Passionfruit syrup + 2 teaspoons Lime syrup + ¼ ripe mango + 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) unsweetened pineapple juice + Vanilla ice cream or Mango ice cream or lychee gelato… To turn this into a cocktail, add a good splash of rum!

coco mojo Replace half the milk with coconut milk; add ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract + 1–1½ tablespoons Strawberry or Raspberry syrup + 2¼ teaspoons malt powder

Fruity

Strawberry 2 tablespoons Strawberry syrup + Vanilla ice cream or Strawberry ice cream or strawberry frozen yoghurt

Strawberry mint 1½ tablespoons Strawberry syrup + ½–1 tablespoons Mint syrup + Vanilla ice cream or Strawberry ice cream

Strawberry shortcake 2 tablespoons Strawberry syrup + Golden caramel ice cream + 1½ tablespoons malt powder

Passionfruit 2 tablespoons Passionfruit syrup + Vanilla ice cream

Passion tango Use coconut milk in place of dairy milk; add 1½ tablespoons Passionfruit syrup + 2 teaspoons Mint syrup + Mango ice cream

Fruit tart 1 tablespoon Passionfruit syrup + 1 tablespoon Strawberry or Raspberry syrup + Lemon ice cream

Boozy trifle 2–3 tablespoons Crème pâtissière or pouring custard + 2 tablespoons Strawberry syrup + 1 tablespoon malt powder + a slug of cream sherry + Vanilla ice cream or Strawberry ice cream

Fresh fruit smoothies

Banana nut 2 teaspoons smooth peanut butter + 1 ripe banana + 2 teaspoons malt powder + 1 tablespoon Chocolate syrup + Vanilla ice cream or frozen yoghurt

open sesame 1 ripe banana + 3 teaspoons honey + 2 teaspoons tahini + a large pinch of ground cinnamon + Lemon ice cream or frozen yoghurt

Berry blush 4 tablespoons mixed red berries + 1 tablespoon Strawberry or Raspberry syrup + Strawberry ice cream or strawberry frozen yoghurt

Blueberry maple 50 g (1¾ oz/¹/₃ cup) frozen blueberries + frozen yoghurt + 2 teaspoons maple syrup + a large pinch of ground cinnamon

Fruity pash 1½ tablespoons fresh passionfruit juice + ½ ripe mango + Vanilla ice cream or Mango ice cream or Coconut ice cream

Golden ginger ranga 75 g (2¾ oz/¹/₃ cup) fresh or bottled peach or nectarine slices + 1 tablespoon Ginger syrup + Golden caramel ice cream + a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Peach melba 75 g (2¾ oz/ ¹/₃ cup) fresh or bottled peach slices + 1 tablespoon Raspberry syrup + 1 teaspoon lemon juice + Vanilla ice cream

NOTE  If you use commercially made ice cream, choose a really good-quality one — it will make all the difference. Feel free to use non-dairy milk and ice cream if you prefer.

Photography © Brett Stevens

In our
neck of the woods,
thickshakes took hold in
the late 1970s when American
fast-food chains, which had put
down roots in Australian soil as early
as the late 1960s, began spreading
like the plague. In the push to be a little
‘healthier’, smoothies — an invention that
well and truly predated any fast–food joint
— became all the rage. They were usually
less sweet than shakes, and contained
fresh or frozen fruit blended up with
the dairy element, which was often
frozen yoghurt. Spoiler alert:
you won’t find any green
smoothies here.