Is A Black-And-White Milkshake The Same As A Chocolate Shake?

While they may look roughly the same and have a similar chocolatey taste, black-and-white milkshakes are not the same as chocolate shakes. The latter is made with chocolate ice cream as the base, whereas the former combines vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. With vanilla ice cream as the foundation, black-and-white milkshakes may taste more creamy, custardy, and marshmallowy. Chocolate ice cream has more of an intense, slightly bitter taste while vanilla is known for being more mellow.

Some black-and-white milkshake recipes contain vanilla bean paste or extract to enhance the flavor. Different kinds of vanilla beans can range from woody and spicy to fruity and floral, depending on their origin. This is to say, chocolate shakes typically just taste like chocolate blended with milk, while black-and-whites will typically have a more complex flavor profile. Some of the best chocolate sauce brands you may consider using to make a black-and white include Trader Joe's Midnight Moo syrup, Whole Foods' 365 brand syrup, and Ghirardelli's Premium chocolate sauce.

Malt powder is sometimes added to black-and-white shakes, too. The malt milk powder in milkshakes is often said to give the decadent drink a toasty and nutty flavor with notes of caramel. Other ways to jazz up this kind of milkshake is to blend in chocolate chips for texture or sour cream for a subtle tanginess. Other great milkshake additions include milk powder, marshmallow fluff, buttermilk, coffee, and cookies. 

There's also a myriad of toppings you can try to make a black-and-white milkshake even more interesting. Of course, a bit of whipped cream never hurt anyone (unless you're lactose intolerant) and sprinkles always add an extra touch of sugary sweetness and satisfying crunch. Cookie crumbles, whether chocolate chip or Oreos, will undoubtedly complement a black-and-white as well. You can also drizzle some salted caramel on top in place of extra chocolate fudge, or even something fruity.