Much more than just the mere sum of their over-the-top
parts, freakshakes truly are milkshakes on steroids and a worldwide trend sugar
lovers can’t seem to get enough of.
By Raul Dias
Riding the crest of everything fashionably foodie and au courant in the world of cuisine,
thanks to its home-grown reality shows like Masterchef
Australia and for its penchant for producing a virtual army of superstar
chefs like Peter Gilmore, Adriano Zumbo and the irrepressible Neil Perry,
Australia is responsible for the genesis of the mega food trend of the freakshake.
Yes, around two years ago, in July 2015 to be more precise, akin to something
straight out of science fiction, a ‘monster’ was created at Pâtissez, a rather
nondescript bakery and café in Canberra.
Soon London fell for its charms with the now-legendary Molly Bakes cafe in Dalston coming up with totally bonkers versions of the freakshake with everything from lemon and raspberry tartlets, and honeycomb festooning overflowing giant milkshake glasses. And just like some sort of 21st Century rara avis, the freakshake went viral, amassing a cult-like following thanks to social media, given its tremendous Instagram-worthy appeal.
Soon London fell for its charms with the now-legendary Molly Bakes cafe in Dalston coming up with totally bonkers versions of the freakshake with everything from lemon and raspberry tartlets, and honeycomb festooning overflowing giant milkshake glasses. And just like some sort of 21st Century rara avis, the freakshake went viral, amassing a cult-like following thanks to social media, given its tremendous Instagram-worthy appeal.
The
Anatomy of a Freakshake
For the uninitiated, this behemoth of a milkshake truly is the mother of all shakes, making for some gloriously messy…and not to mention indulgent satisfaction! A monstrous drink-meets-sundae-meets-dessert, a freakshake gets its name from its rather over-the-top construction methods and its often outlandishly wacky components that make it much more than the mere sum of its parts.
Poured into everything from the now passé mason jars to the very on trend beer mugs, a freakshake is layered with a cornucopia of treats like heavy cream, bits of cake, pretzels and doughnuts among other confectionary specimens. All this is then drizzled with lashings of sauce, with a fistful of candies and sprinkles thrown in for good measure. But hang on, that’s not all. Aforementioned bits of cake, pretzels and doughnuts find themselves once again taking centre stage as they are haphazardly glued on—with sugar syrup, frosting, jam or peanut butter—to the rim and sides of the glass, giving the freakshake its freaky appearance.
For the uninitiated, this behemoth of a milkshake truly is the mother of all shakes, making for some gloriously messy…and not to mention indulgent satisfaction! A monstrous drink-meets-sundae-meets-dessert, a freakshake gets its name from its rather over-the-top construction methods and its often outlandishly wacky components that make it much more than the mere sum of its parts.
Poured into everything from the now passé mason jars to the very on trend beer mugs, a freakshake is layered with a cornucopia of treats like heavy cream, bits of cake, pretzels and doughnuts among other confectionary specimens. All this is then drizzled with lashings of sauce, with a fistful of candies and sprinkles thrown in for good measure. But hang on, that’s not all. Aforementioned bits of cake, pretzels and doughnuts find themselves once again taking centre stage as they are haphazardly glued on—with sugar syrup, frosting, jam or peanut butter—to the rim and sides of the glass, giving the freakshake its freaky appearance.
Who’s
The Freakiest of Them All?
Forget the maxim ‘less is more’, for in the OTT world of the freakshake ‘more is certainly more’! A couple of months ago, to mark the release of Riverdale season one on DVD, Warner Bros UK and Maxwell’s Covent Garden in London teamed up to create themed freakshakes each based on an Archie comic book character. So, while The Bubblegum Betty freakshake is reflective of Betty’s bubbly personality and is made from a pink bubble gum thick shake topped with whipped cream, candy floss, marshmallows, love hearts and rainbow candy, The Fall from Grace mirrors Veronica’s dark side with an Oreo thick shake, chocolate sauce, and a whole Oreo cookie sandwich as its components.
However, taking things a bit too far, Heliot Steak House in London is believed to have recently added a rather bizarre sounding range of slider freakshakes to their menu. These oddballs include a lobster and avocado slider that sits atop a passion fruit milkshake and a roasted field mushroom, pepper and courgette slider, which is paired with a strawberry milkshake. ‘nuff said!
Forget the maxim ‘less is more’, for in the OTT world of the freakshake ‘more is certainly more’! A couple of months ago, to mark the release of Riverdale season one on DVD, Warner Bros UK and Maxwell’s Covent Garden in London teamed up to create themed freakshakes each based on an Archie comic book character. So, while The Bubblegum Betty freakshake is reflective of Betty’s bubbly personality and is made from a pink bubble gum thick shake topped with whipped cream, candy floss, marshmallows, love hearts and rainbow candy, The Fall from Grace mirrors Veronica’s dark side with an Oreo thick shake, chocolate sauce, and a whole Oreo cookie sandwich as its components.
However, taking things a bit too far, Heliot Steak House in London is believed to have recently added a rather bizarre sounding range of slider freakshakes to their menu. These oddballs include a lobster and avocado slider that sits atop a passion fruit milkshake and a roasted field mushroom, pepper and courgette slider, which is paired with a strawberry milkshake. ‘nuff said!
The
Desi Take
Not to be left behind, India too has cottoned on to the freakshake trend churning out (pun intended!) various iterations, many of which reflecting the nations obsession with sugar and more so traditional Indian sweets or mithai. The Mithai Freakshake by Charcoal in Mumbai (see recipe) is one such example that almost contains a virtual sweet shop in and on it! Made with kheer, jalebis, motichoor ladoos and the celebration favourite—gulaab jamun, this diet-busting freakshake references India to the hilt and is not one for the faint hearted. “A freakshake is not just a shake but a phenomenon,” says the Mithai freakshake’s creator, Chef Areez Patel. “This trend is here to last as it has immense scope of experimentation in India. My strong urge to give traditional Indian desserts a freaky twist, making them a multi-sensory delight has resulted in this freakshake that’s a combination of my favourites from Indian desserts.”
Giving their freakshake a vegan twist by using dairy-free cream, The Sassy Spoon in Mumbai and Pune pay homage to an American lunch box classic the peanutbutter and jelly sandwich with their PBJ Vegan Monster Shake (see recipe). “We’ve retained the look and feel of a freakshake, while making it a little bit healthier and vegan friendly,” says Mixologist Pranav Mody, who came up with this version that seeks to go easy on the post-indulgence guilt trip.
But guilty or not, the freakshake phenomenon world-wide is far from done and dusted with. For we predict, as the saying goes “the best (and most bizarre) is yet to come!”
Not to be left behind, India too has cottoned on to the freakshake trend churning out (pun intended!) various iterations, many of which reflecting the nations obsession with sugar and more so traditional Indian sweets or mithai. The Mithai Freakshake by Charcoal in Mumbai (see recipe) is one such example that almost contains a virtual sweet shop in and on it! Made with kheer, jalebis, motichoor ladoos and the celebration favourite—gulaab jamun, this diet-busting freakshake references India to the hilt and is not one for the faint hearted. “A freakshake is not just a shake but a phenomenon,” says the Mithai freakshake’s creator, Chef Areez Patel. “This trend is here to last as it has immense scope of experimentation in India. My strong urge to give traditional Indian desserts a freaky twist, making them a multi-sensory delight has resulted in this freakshake that’s a combination of my favourites from Indian desserts.”
Giving their freakshake a vegan twist by using dairy-free cream, The Sassy Spoon in Mumbai and Pune pay homage to an American lunch box classic the peanutbutter and jelly sandwich with their PBJ Vegan Monster Shake (see recipe). “We’ve retained the look and feel of a freakshake, while making it a little bit healthier and vegan friendly,” says Mixologist Pranav Mody, who came up with this version that seeks to go easy on the post-indulgence guilt trip.
But guilty or not, the freakshake phenomenon world-wide is far from done and dusted with. For we predict, as the saying goes “the best (and most bizarre) is yet to come!”
India’s Freakiest Freakshakes!
· Ferrero Rocher, Kit Kat and Brownie Points freakshakes at Morello’s, Gurugram
· Banana Nutella, Double Chocolate Fudge, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk and Vanilla Oreo freakshakes at AMPM Cafe & Bar, Delhi
· Magnum Choco, Nutella Doughnut and Nutella Mars freakshakes at The Fusion Kitchen, Mumbai
· Red Velvet, Blue Cheesecake and Lemon Crumble freakshakes at Three Chicks and A Bear, Mumbai
· Big Bang and Cookie Monster freakshakes at Brik Oven, Bengaluru
· Belgian Chocolate Cupcake freakshake at Guilt Trip, Bengaluru
· Waffle Wagon Freakshake at The Chocolate Heaven, Chennai
· Cookie Monster, Choco Peanut Butter and Banana Caramel freakshakes at Mad Over Freakshakes, Hyderabad
· Mega Brownie KitKat freakshake at Freak Shake Bro, Hyderabad
· Blueberry Cheesecake Deconstructed, Mocha Brownie and Mushy Oreo freakshakes at Velvetiine, Kolkata
· Cotton Candy Berry freakshake at The Street at The Park Hotel, Kolkata
Get Your Freak On
Here are two recipes that show you how to make your very own freakshake at home.
Here are two recipes that show you how to make your very own freakshake at home.
The
PBJ Vegan Monster Shake
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Strawberry Jam
180 ml Dairy-free Pouring Cream
45 ml Peanut Butter
3/4 Banana
1 tbsp Flax Seeds
Dairy-free Whipped Cream
Melba Toast
Ice Cubes
1 tbsp Strawberry Jam
180 ml Dairy-free Pouring Cream
45 ml Peanut Butter
3/4 Banana
1 tbsp Flax Seeds
Dairy-free Whipped Cream
Melba Toast
Ice Cubes
Method:
1) In a blender add: Strawberry jam, pouring cream, peanut butter, banana, 1/2 tbsp of flax seeds and 2 cubes of ice and blend.
2) Rim a tall milkshake glass with peanut butter and then add a few flax seeds.
3) Spread some peanut butter on the melba toast.
4) Pour the shake into the glass.
5) Top with whipped cream.
6) Stick the melba toast with peanut butter onto the whipped cream.
7) Put a bit of strawberry jam on top of the whipped cream.
8) Sprinkle a few more flax seeds on top and serve with a candy-striped straw.
1) In a blender add: Strawberry jam, pouring cream, peanut butter, banana, 1/2 tbsp of flax seeds and 2 cubes of ice and blend.
2) Rim a tall milkshake glass with peanut butter and then add a few flax seeds.
3) Spread some peanut butter on the melba toast.
4) Pour the shake into the glass.
5) Top with whipped cream.
6) Stick the melba toast with peanut butter onto the whipped cream.
7) Put a bit of strawberry jam on top of the whipped cream.
8) Sprinkle a few more flax seeds on top and serve with a candy-striped straw.
--Recipe
courtesy: Pranav Mody, Mixologist from The Sassy Spoon, Mumbai and Pune
Mithai
Freak Shake
Ingredients:
125 gm Poha (flat beaten rice flakes)
375 gm Milk
65 gm Sugar
5 gm Pistachios
3 gm Almonds
A pinch Cardamom Powder
30-40 strands Saffron
9 pcs Mini Gulaab Jamuns
2 pcs Small Crisp Jalebi
4 pcs Motichoor Ladoo
100 gm Whipped Cream
25 gm Milk
5 ml Sugar Syrup
1 small sheet Silver Leaf
125 gm Poha (flat beaten rice flakes)
375 gm Milk
65 gm Sugar
5 gm Pistachios
3 gm Almonds
A pinch Cardamom Powder
30-40 strands Saffron
9 pcs Mini Gulaab Jamuns
2 pcs Small Crisp Jalebi
4 pcs Motichoor Ladoo
100 gm Whipped Cream
25 gm Milk
5 ml Sugar Syrup
1 small sheet Silver Leaf
Method:
1) For the saffron cream: Whip cream to soft peaks while you heat the 25 gm milk and put half the saffron in it (around 15 strands). Let it sit for 5 mins. After cool add to the cream and whip till mixes well. Put in the ref.
2) For the kheer: Soak the poha in water for 5 mins. Boil the milk in a pan. Reduce flame to low and simmer. Add the soaked poha. Add sugar and stir well until fully dissolved. Switch off the flame and add cardamom powder. Add 4 gulaab jamuns and blend it well. Let it cool.
3) To assemble: Take a large beer mug and crush the motichoor ladoo and put it at the bottom of the glass (leave some for garnish). Put some kheer into it. Put 4 gulaab jamuns, pressing a few on the outside of the glass. Pour more kheer till just below the rim of the glass. Pipe the saffron cream on the top of the glass to a point. Brush one inch of the outer side of the glass with sugar syrup. Stick crushed pistachios on the sugar syrup. Sprinkle motichoor ladoo, almonds, pistachios and saffron on the cream. Sit the jalebi and gulaab jamun on top of the cream and cover with silver leaf. Serve with a long spoon.
1) For the saffron cream: Whip cream to soft peaks while you heat the 25 gm milk and put half the saffron in it (around 15 strands). Let it sit for 5 mins. After cool add to the cream and whip till mixes well. Put in the ref.
2) For the kheer: Soak the poha in water for 5 mins. Boil the milk in a pan. Reduce flame to low and simmer. Add the soaked poha. Add sugar and stir well until fully dissolved. Switch off the flame and add cardamom powder. Add 4 gulaab jamuns and blend it well. Let it cool.
3) To assemble: Take a large beer mug and crush the motichoor ladoo and put it at the bottom of the glass (leave some for garnish). Put some kheer into it. Put 4 gulaab jamuns, pressing a few on the outside of the glass. Pour more kheer till just below the rim of the glass. Pipe the saffron cream on the top of the glass to a point. Brush one inch of the outer side of the glass with sugar syrup. Stick crushed pistachios on the sugar syrup. Sprinkle motichoor ladoo, almonds, pistachios and saffron on the cream. Sit the jalebi and gulaab jamun on top of the cream and cover with silver leaf. Serve with a long spoon.
--Recipe
courtesy: Chef Areez Patel of Charcoal, Mumbai
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the December 2017 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways https://www.jetairways.com/EN/DE/JetExperience/magazines.aspx)
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