Salted Caramel Milkshake

Forget vanilla ice cream: with the Ninja Slushi, a simple base of full-fat milk and caramel sauce is enough to replicate the thickness of a classic diner treat. In a blender, you have to sacrifice scoops of ice cream to thicken the mixture; here, the milk and caramel do the work on their own. You get a velvety and very indulgent drinkable dessert. The machine’s constant cooling balances the richness of the caramel for a frozen drink that sips perfectly through a wide straw.

Salted Caramel Milkshake

Recipe by Camille RoosCourse: MilkshakeCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

people

Prep

5

minutes

Freeze time

45

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Forget the ice cream: a simple base of full-fat milk and caramel sauce is all you need to achieve the density of a classic American diner shake.

Ingredients

• 700 ml full-fat milk

• 150 ml heavy whipping cream (30% fat)

• 200 g salted caramel sauce (e.g., Salidou or homemade)

• 1 pinch fleur de sel (optional)

• Whipped cream (for topping)

• Crushed crepe dentelle cookies (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a container or using a high-speed blender, whisk the full-fat milk, heavy cream, caramel sauce, and the pinch of salt until the liquid is perfectly smooth. Dissolving the caramel thoroughly at this stage prevents it from hardening at the bottom of the vessel later on.
• Pour the mixture into the Ninja Slushi vessel, ensuring the level exceeds the MIN mark without crossing the MAX line. Select the Milkshake programme. Adding heavy cream provides the necessary fat for a true milkshake texture.
• Let the machine do the work. Allow about 40 to 50 minutes. The mixture will gradually cool and thicken; three beeps will signal that it is ready.
• Meanwhile, drizzle the inside of your glasses with a light ribbon of extra caramel sauce to perfect the presentation.
• Serve the drink directly into the glass, top with a generous dome of whipped cream, and sprinkle with crushed crepe dentelle cookies to add crunch.

Lighter version

For a slightly lighter version, replace the cream with full-fat milk: the milkshake will be less thick, but the well-dissolved caramel will prevent the mixture from freezing into a solid block.

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The importance of fat content without ice cream

To succeed at an authentic milkshake without resorting to a single scoop of ice cream, the technical key lies in the fat content. The Ninja Slushi excels at cooling and gently stirring, but if you use only semi-skimmed milk, you will get a result more akin to a milky granita than a rich dessert. This is why I systematically add a portion of heavy cream with 30% fat. Mixed with full-fat milk, the cream provides that characteristic thickness expected during tasting. The caramel sauce provides the necessary sugar, well above the 4% threshold required by the manufacturer, which prevents the whole thing from freezing into a hard block. If you enjoy varying the fruity pleasures with this same milk base, do not hesitate to try the peach apricot milkshake with Ninja Slushi, which follows the exact same balance principle.

Why preparing cold is essential

A classic mistake with dense syrups or spreads is pouring them directly into the machine, hoping the auger will do all the mixing work. With a thick sauce like Salidou, the continuous cold of the vessel will immediately harden the ingredient. The result is disappointing: the caramel stays stuck to the bottom of the device and your milk severely lacks flavour. This is why I strongly recommend that you whisk everything beforehand. A few seconds in a container using a manual whisk are more than enough. Once your base is perfectly smooth, the dedicated programme can cool it uniformly without creating any clogs. If the drink seems too foamy to you, serve it within 30 minutes after the end of the programme: this is the manufacturer’s instruction for milkshakes, which also advises adding a little heavy cream in case of persistent foam.

Are you team generous whipped cream or team plain milkshake?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to add vanilla ice cream to the machine for this recipe?

No, that is the whole point of the machine! Full-fat milk, heavy cream, and the device’s continuous cooling are enough to recreate the thickness of melted ice cream.

Can I use almond or oat milk?

Yes, but be mindful of the lack of fat. Choose barista-style plant-based milks and replace the heavy cream with a thick plant-based alternative, otherwise the mixture will freeze into icy shards.

Which programme should I choose on the FS301, XL, or Max?

The Milkshake programme is available on all three models, FS301, XL, and Max. On the FS301, you can also choose Frappé, but Milkshake gives a thicker texture in this case.