The Difference Between A Black And White Milkshake And Regular Chocolate

In life, we are often faced with making very difficult decisions. For some people, one of those fraught judgment calls comes down to flavor: decadent, rich and cravable chocolate, or floral, complex, and classic vanilla.

Fortunately, when we step into the ice cream shop, we can have it both ways — and that's thanks to the composition of a treat known as the black and white milkshake. At a glance, you may see one of these served up in a glass and identify it as a chocolate shake — and you'd be very close. Both are thick, satisfying drinks made from blending scoops of ice cream with milk and chocolate syrup.

However, there's a very slight but important distinction here. Whereas a straight up chocolate shake features chocolate ice cream, the black and white relies on vanilla scoops as its foundation. The result is a sweet and chocolatey treat, but one that exercises some restraint. The black and white strikes an ideal equilibrium and is a perfect way to showcase the ways chocolate and vanilla work well together.

Adding to the confusion between these variations is the fact that there are plenty of so-called chocolate milkshake recipes, which are identical to the formula for the black and white shake — but the difference is clear upon tasting. Still, if you're a choco-holic and feel concerned that this shake won't satisfy your cocoa craving, consider the strengths of vanilla.

We often use vanilla in baking projects to underscore or emphasize other ingredients and tastes. That's because, like salt, vanilla is a flavor booster. It's why so many chocolate recipes like 2-layer chocolate cake, decadent brownies with dark chocolate — and even chocolate bars — often feature a dose of vanilla extract. Simply put, vanilla brings out the best in chocolate.

In this recipe, vanilla not only does its job as a chocolate's biggest supporter, but it rounds out and softens any bitter bite. It also adds complementary flavor of its own, ranging from fruity and flora to spicy and smoky — all of which pair beautifully with chocolate. It can even help promote the perception of sweet and creamy qualities in your shake.

The black and white shake is, at its most basic, just three ingredients (vanilla ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup), but it's also a formula that encourages creativity. You can keep it super simple and collect the ingredients from the store, or make from-scratch versions of homemade vanilla ice cream and easy chocolate sauce.

Recipes vary in ratio, and how much milk to ice cream you decide will depend on your desired thickness. The best vanilla milkshake in the world, for example, starts with 1 cup of ice cream to ¾ cup of whole milk, but you can experiment to dial in your own version of perfect.

Adding other elements will impact flavor balance, chocolatey-ness, and viscosity, too. Adding malted milk powder, for example, will result in a thicker shake (and also has a reputation for amplifying chocolate). You can infuse your chocolate syrup with coffee or espresso for further depth of cocoa flavor. Including a little salt in the mix will help enhance the elements in your shake, too. From there, garnish as you please with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, a few sprigs of mint, crushed coookies, or espresso beans. Knowing the difference between these two classic shakes, you can go forth with confidence that your chocolate craving won't go unsatisfied no matter how you spin it.