Homemade Baskin-Robbins Milkshakes!!!

So, for those who know me, I LOVE milkshakes!!! My favorite place to get milkshakes is Baskin-Robbins. Although I am not very adventurous with flavors, I can't deprive my taste buds of the milky goodness of a Baskin-Robbins milkshake... After much research online, I have found the perfect recipe for a Homemade Baskin-Robbins milkshake!!!

I have tried recipes that were identical in taste to the original but I have also tasted recipes that are far from similar. If you follow this recipe to a T, you will be amazed (and your tummy will be oh so satisfied) with this very easy recipe. The great thing is most of the ingredients are probably already in your house! What do you have to lose? A medium milkshake there (at least in this area) is $4.99. You can get most, if not all, of the ingredients you need to make a bunch of milkshakes for the same price!

Homemade Baskin-Robbins Milkshake

Oh, Yummy!

Ingredients:
2 cups of Ice cream
1 cup of Milk (Either 2% or Whole)
*1/4 cups of Sugar
*1/4 cups of Water

        *You will not use all of the sugar and water. I recommend using this amount because it is easier to prepare this way. You will only be using about 1/3 of the sugar and water per 1 medium milkshake.  

Yield: 1 Medium Milkshake

Directions:
1. Prepare the Syrup
First bring 1/4 cups of water to a boil.
Then, add 1/4 cups of sugar and stir with whisk until all the sugar has dissolved.
After the sugar has dissolved, dump the sugar water into a cup and chill in the refrigerator or freezer just until cool.
Finally, remove cooled sugar water from the refrigerator or freezer.

2. Making the Milkshake
First, pour 1 cup of cold milk into the blender.
Next, pour 6 teaspoons of the chilled sugar water into the blender.
Then, add the 2 cups of ice cream. When adding the ice cream, do not add full scoops but little chunks (or pieces) of the ice cream. This will help when the ingredients are mixed.
After that, mix the ingredients. This is best done with the "Mix" setting on a blender. You will want to pulse the mixing (start then stop, start then stop, start then stop,... quickly) This will help mix and prevent part of your shake from melting.
Finally, pour the contents of the blender in a cup, add a straw and sit back and enjoy!

The process takes about 5 minutes and the milkshakes are just like they are at Baskin-Robbins!

***If making a vanilla milkshake, use Vanilla Bean ice cream. As far as brand, we used Walmart brand vanilla bean ice cream and it taste just like it came from the store! We will be experimenting with Mint Chocolate Chip next. I believe it would be the same recipe just with a different flavor ice cream.

Enjoy and share this recipe! It was too good to keep to myself!

Caramel Bailey's Irish Cream infused Chocolate Covered Cherries

Caramel Bailey's Irish Cream 

infused Chocolate Covered Cherries

(This recipe is for individuals 21 years old or older. Please drink and eat responsibly)

This is a perfect recipe for the chocolate covered cherry lover who also enjoys Caramel Bailey's Irish Cream. Not only does this recipe provide the sweet delicious taste of chocolate covered cherries, but it also gives that Bailey's after taste. These are a great idea for parties, get togethers or just to sit back relaxing while enjoying a treat!

Ingredients:
Caramel Bailey's Irish Cream
24 Maraschino Cherries
1 (12 oz) bag of white chocolate chips or white chocolate wafers

Tools/Materials Needed:
Syringe
Drying rack
Paper towels
Cup
Knife
Wax or parchment paper

Directions:

• Remove 24 cherries (or however many desired) from jar and blot with paper towels.
  
• Pour Caramel Bailey's in a cup until the Bailey's is about 3 inches deep.
• Take a knife and carefully cut little slits on the sides of the cherries. This will allow the Bailey's to be absorbed by the cherry better.
• Place cherries into the cup of Bailey's and allow to soak for a night or two (2 hours at the minimum) 
  
• Carefully remove the cherries from the Bailey's and carefully blot dry avoiding squeezing any of the Bailey's out of the cherry.
• Take the syringe and fill it with some of the Bailey's that the cherries were soaking in.
• One at a time, place a cherry on a paper towel or napkin and place the syringe tip into the cherry being careful not to cause much damage to the cherry. Slowly push the plunger down on the syringe allowing Bailey's to fill the cherry. 
  
• Attempt to dry cherry as much as possible with a paper towel without spilling the Bailey's out of the cherry. 
• At the point, now would be a great time to melt your chocolate. While avoiding tipping the cherry over and spilling the Bailey's out of the cherry, quickly dip the cherry and roll it in the white chocolate until the entire cherry is covered (try to avoid covering the stem with chocolate). 
• Once the cherry is covered in white chocolate, place on wax or parchment paper that is being supported by a cookie sheet, a cutting board or some sort of solid support.
• Repeat with the remainder of your cherries.
• After all cherries have been infused and covered, place board in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow chocolate to harden. 
• Remove from freezer and enjoy! Please remember to eat (and drink) responsibly 

Tips / Tricks:

• About a minute after covering the cherry in white chocolate and placing it on the wax/parchment paper, the cherry should be moved to a clean area of the paper. This will prevent the chocolate from pooling beneath each cherry and will prevent chocolate from becoming too thick.
• If cherry is too wet during the chocolate dipping process, chocolate will not stick well and may become runny. 
• If white chocolate appears too thin after the first coat, you can dip the cherry again as needed. After every coat, you will want to put the cherries back into the freezer for the chocolate to harden again. 

Delicious Apple Truffles

Ingredients: 
2 Large Granny Smith Apples
1 (12 oz) bag of Chocolate chips or melting wafers (Chocolate of your choice)
1/2 tsp of Table Salt
4 cups of Cold Water

Tools/Materials Needed:
Melon Baller
Bowl (holds more than 5 cups of water)
Measuring cups/spoons
Wax or parchment paper
Cutting board or cookie sheet to support paper
Strainer
Paper towels
Drying rack
Peeler or a sharp knife
Double boiler or microwave oven
Freezer / Refrigerator
Tool for mixing chocolate
Plastic decorating bag or sandwich bag

Directions:

• Wash apples thoroughly to ensure they are clean and place on drying rack while you prepare a nice cold bath for the apples to prevent browning (also known as oxidation). 
• Add 4 cups of cold water into a bowl and add 1/2 tsp of table salt.
• Gently stir the salt into the water and place bowl close to where you will be cutting your apples.
• Use an apple peeler / vegetable peeler or a sharp kitchen knife to carefully peel the skin of each apple
• Place the Melon Baller against the body of the apple and apply pressure as you turn side to side and back and forth. As you apply pressure and turn, the Melon Baller will create nice little balls of Granny Smith apples. One apple should yield 10 apple balls if cut correctly. 
• After each ball of apple is cut, place in the bowl of cold salt water. If too much time passes and apple is exposed to oxygen, the apple balls will begin to brown and will not be as fresh. 
• Leave the balls of apples in the cold salt water for 5 minutes and then strain under cold water to remove any salt that may be on the apples. 
• After straining the apple balls, sit apples on drying rack to allow apples to partially dry. 
• Now, the yummy part... Melted chocolate!!! Melt about 12 oz of chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat your chocolate and keep stirring as chocolate can and will burn. If melting chocolate in the microwave, place chocolate in microwave safe bowl, heat in 30 second increments, and stir very well in between each increment. 
• Now, with the melted chocolate, drop an apple ball into the chocolate allowing it to be completely submerged in the chocolate. With a fork or another tool, grab the apple ball from underneath and slightly tap the tool on the side of the dish allowing the excess chocolate to drip off. 
• Place each apple ball on sheet of wax or parchment paper which is being supported by a pan or a cutting board. After dipping and placing each apple ball on the paper, place paper in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will allow chocolate to freeze. 
• If you want to get fancy and have your apple truffles look even more delicious, you can decorate! Take a plastic decorating bag or a sandwich bag and place some excess melted chocolate in it. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag and quickly move the bag back and forth over the apple truffles while squeezing the bag. Make sure to be at least a few inches above the apple truffles.
• Place apple truffles back in the freezer for 5 minutes to allow chocolate drizzle to dry (if you decided to decorate).
• Remove from freezer, eat, share and have everyone rave about your delicious apple truffles!!! Once you get the hang of making these delicious treats, you will wonder why you never made them before. 

Tips / Tricks:

• There are many other ways to prevent oxidation but this is my favorite and it doesn't leave a taste on the apple
• When using the melon baller be sure you don't press so hard as to get pieces of the apple core in the apple balls. 
• If apples are still wet during the chocolate dipping process, chocolate will not stick as well and may become runny
• A minute after apple is covered in chocolate and placed on the paper, apple should be moved to a clean area of the paper. This will prevent chocolate from pooling beneath each apple truffle and give each truffle a more professional appearance. This tip will also prevent chocolate from becoming to thick at the bottom of each truffle.