I’m sure it would be nice to summer in the Hamptons or spend weekends bronzing poolside on the rooftop of a trendy hotel in Manhattan, but the fact is there’s baking to be done. To banish the summertime blues, we at the bakery take turns whipping up our own interpretations of the classic vanilla shake. Use the recipe below as the basis for your own adventures in milk shake mixology. My favorite rendition came about when Kylie, part of the bakery’s prized counter staff, added a piece of chocolate crumb to the mix and created the most amazing brownie shake in the history of frozen beverages. (Thanks, Kylie!) You can do her one better by adding chocolate chip cookies, fresh mint, or—gasp!—a slice of apple pie.

Ingredients

　　1 pint vegan vanilla ice cream (see resources)

　　1 cup unsweetened soy milk

　　1/4 cup agave nectar

　　1 cup ice

　　In a blender, combine the ice cream, soy milk, agave nectar, and ice. Blend for 1 minute. Pour the shake into 4 tall glasses and serve immediately.

　　From Babycakes by Erin McKenna, (C) 2009 Clarkson Potter