Pear Caramel Shake

New crop of pears, new purchase of caramel syrup. New shake flavor for me. The pears really thicken this one up nicely.

1 pear, quartered and cored. (I leave the skin on, but it does add a bit of extra texture.)

1 - 2 tablespoons caramel flavoring (Da Vinci is my new brand.)

1 scoop vanilla powder

6 oz. water

6 - 10 ice cubes.

Add the caramel and pears to water in the blender as it is running. When the pears are liquified, add vanilla shake powder. Add ice cubes until it is at a good consistency for you. This makes a nice tall shake.

Hot Carmel Chocolate

This is really easy to whip up with a packet of the Chocolate HMR 500. Although I don't like the clean-up associated with using a blender, I do like the frothy, light texture that it gives to hot drinks. I use caramel sugar free flavoring with this, but I think any favorite flavor would work. Try it with almond, vanilla and hazelnut flavored sugar free flavorings. Those flavors are generally available in the coffee section of larger grocery stores, and additional flavors are available online through many vendors.

1 packet or scoop chocolate shake powder

8 oz. room temperature water

1 Tablespoon sugar free caramel coffee syrup

Add syrup to water in blender container. Cover, and turn blender to low speed. As blender runs, slightly open blender and add chocolate powder to the mixture. Recover blender, and run at medium speed until frothy. pour into tall mug, and warm in microwave for 30 seconds to a minute. (50 seconds is perfect for me) Your drink will overflow the cup if you allow it to get too hot. 

Candy Bar Shake

This is a little like an Almond Joy bar. It's got lots of 'flavorings' in it, as opposed to natural foods, but sometimes that's what you've got to do. I decided to put a little chocolate pudding powder in, just to give it a thicker consistency that held together til the bottom of the glass, but it's not really absolutely necessary to get a tasty shake.

3/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon sugar free caramel syrup

1/2 teaspoon each almond extract and coconut flavoring

1 teaspoon chocolate pudding powder

1 scoop chocolate shake mix

8 - 10 ice cubes

Put water, caramel syrup and almond & coconut flavorings in the container of your blender. Blend on low speed. While blending, quickly add shake powder, then pudding powder to the mix. Turn blender speed to medium. Add ice cubes, one at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Pour into a large glass, and serve.

Caramel Coffee Shake

This shake uses a great caramel flavoring that I originally bought for a coffee flavoring, but it translates really well to this shake. I've made this with both chocolate and vanilla flavor shake powders, and I prefer the vanilla flavor, but I can certainly enjoy either one. The flavoring syrup was purchased online, from a company called 'Coffee A.M.' over a year ago. They carry a different brand now. I've seen the Dolce online in other places, but I'll let you do the investigating yourself. Google 'dolce syrup' and you should be able to find it available at several online shops. A plain, strong coffee works well for this, and it works better if the coffee is chilled. The recipe as written calls for a tablespoon of caramel flavoring, but I have admittedly used more at times.  Here's the recipe:

1 cup cooled coffee

1 tablespoon sugar-free caramel flavoring

1 scoop either vanilla or chocolate shake powder.

8 - 10 ice cubes

Add the coffee to the blender container. Begin stirring at low power. Add the caramel flavoring and the shake powder. increase power to medium speed. Add ice cubes one at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Pour and enjoy.