Strawberry milkshake

Blend 150 g hulled strawberries with 200 ml cold milk and two scoops of vanilla ice cream until smooth. For a stronger strawberry flavour, mash a few extra berries and stir them in at the end.

Yes. Use frozen strawberries straight from the freezer and blend with cold milk; they chill and thicken the shake, so you usually do not need ice. If the blender struggles, let the berries soften for a few minutes first.

Choose ripe, fragrant strawberries with no mould or bruised patches; very ripe berries give the sweetest flavour. Hull them before blending, and rinse them under running water just before use.

It is best straight after blending, when the texture is frothy. If you need to keep it, cover and refrigerate it promptly, then drink it within a day; shake or blend it again because it may separate.

Serve it with a toasted cheese sandwich, a burger or a slice of sponge cake. A little vanilla, or a few fresh strawberry pieces on top, complements the berry flavour.

Use chilled oat or soya drink in the same amount as the milk; a creamy, unsweetened version lets the strawberries come through. For a thicker shake, blend in a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream.

A milkshake is usually made with milk and often ice cream, giving it a creamy, dessert-like texture. A smoothie is more often blended from fruit with yoghurt, milk or juice, and may include other fruit.