Avocado milkshake is a common thirst quencher among the Filipinos, Indonesians and Vietnamese. It got so popular that you can even find it in other neighbouring countries like Singapore. This smoothie is made without bananas and only uses milk. Most commonly, condensed milk is used for its sweetness and creaminess. Ripe avocados are used because they are soft and creamy.
In the Philippines, the Filipinos enjoy this drink when avocados are in season. That is usually during summer when it is hot.
Avocado milkshakes are sold at both food stalls and restaurants. Restaurants usually use the fresh fruits while food stalls may use powdered avocado. That explains why it is cheaper.
The drink can be deemed “traditional” since avocados are widely available around this time. Milkshakes using fruits like mangoes, bananas and strawberries are really popular. Sometimes, these milkshakes are sold outside private homes where halo-halo, fish balls or grilled pork BBQ are sold too.
Why this recipe works?
Avocado milkshake has got to have the right amount of creaminess and sweetness. In this recipe, full milk is used instead of condensed milk. This will also allow you to control the sweetness of your preference with the desired amount of sugar.
It is great for weight loss if you are craving for avocado milkshake because of the lower calories.
The taste
The avocado milkshake tastes earthy and nutty with a bit of sweetness.
Avoid bitter avocado milkshake
Unripe avocado causes the milkshake to be bitter and has an unpleasant flavour. Therefore, it is advisable to use ripe avocado instead. It has a soft buttery texture if it is ripe.
You can try to add a bit of lemon to cover the bitterness but that will leave a lemony aftertaste.
Choosing avocados
Pick avocados that are dark green. If a bit of pressure is applied, they should feel soft yet firm. If they are rock solid, let them sit on the kitchen top for a day or two for them to ripen.
Another tip is to use oval shaped avocados as they have smaller pits which means more flesh. Also, they are less fibrous compared to rounded avocados.
For convenience, use frozen avocados.
How to remove avocado flesh?
With a sharp knife, cut the avocado in the middle and around the big seed which is in the fruit.
Twist the two halves of the avocado to separate them.
Using a spoon to scoop the flesh into a bowl.
Vegan option
Soy milk or almond milk is a delicious substitute for a plant-based avocado milkshake.
Adding ice cream, honey or other sweeteners
In countries like Singapore or Malaysia, *gula melaka *or palm sugar is often used instead of white sugar. Brown sugar is possible but it will make the milkshake darker in colour.
You may also substitute with any sweetener of your choice. For more creativity, add a scoop of ice cream.
Fruit combos
Pair this recipe with other fruits for natural sweetness. Common combination is mango avocado shake and avocado-banana shake.
Storing for later consumption
Avocado milkshakes are usually made for immediate consumption. I have tried making it in advanced (up to 3 hours) and the colour did not change due to the additional milk and sugar content.
