Any fast food burger joint wouldn’t be the same without a milkshake on its menu. Shake Shack, the New York City-based restaurant, is no different and offers a lot of sweet milkshake options, including various seasonal, limited-time shakes such as the former tiramisu and Dreamsicle flavors. Two other milkshakes on offer at Shake Shack could be a little confusing in terms of ingredients. One is a milkshake simply called the “vanilla and chocolate shake;” the other looks similar and is named the “black and white shake.”
These two milkshakes both feature chocolate and vanilla flavors, so it might be assumed that they are the same or very similar, but there is a key difference between them. Like any milkshake from this chain, both are a mix of a custard ice cream base and milk. The vanilla and chocolate shake has both vanilla and chocolate custards mixed in, while the black and white shake is simply vanilla custard-based, with chocolate fudge sauce mixed in.
There are slight differences in flavor, although both will have strong chocolate notes. There’s more of an even combination of flavors for the vanilla and chocolate shake, while the black and white shake tastes more like a chocolate milkshake, according to some reviewers. If you’ve ordered both and don’t know which is which, one quick way to tell the difference between the two is that the vanilla and chocolate shake is slightly darker in color than the black and white shake. However, you don’t need to go to Shake Shack for them at all; you can make your own at home with just a few special ingredients.
How to make a Shake Shack-style milkshake at home
If you’re itching for a similar shake but can’t get to the nearest Shake Shack or are looking to save some money, we’ve got you covered with tips for making your own. It all starts with the ice cream. What makes Shake Shack unique is its choice to use a custard base instead of the typical style of ice cream that does not include egg yolks. To achieve this without the stress of making your own custard-based ice cream, we recommend picking up a store-bought pint of this rich dairy dessert, such as one from Van Leeuwen, a French-style ice cream brand that ranked number 10 on our ranking of the 23 best ice cream brands.
To replicate the black and white shake, take a good scoop or two of your vanilla custard ice cream and mix in your favorite chocolate fudge sauce — store-bought is fine, but you can also make your own hot fudge with only two ingredients). Blend with milk, and enjoy. For a vanilla and chocolate shake, simply blend vanilla and chocolate custard ice cream with milk, add some whipped cream on top, and there you have it — Shake Shack copycat shakes at home, with first-hand knowledge of how these popular shakes differ.
