The most Australian of drinks. Picture: Tristan Lutze

No question has been as equally divisive and uniting in our country’s history. Battle lines have been drawn and relationships formed over the debate between ‘dissolve in hot water then fill with milk’ and ‘mix into cold milk with a layer of thick Milo left on top’.

Nestlé celebrates its 150th anniversary this month, and while the company has always been Swiss owned, it is responsible for one of Australia’s most enduring culinary icons.

Milo was launched at the 1934 Sydney Royal Easter Show by Nestlé employee Thomas Mayne. He promoted it as a ‘fortified tonic food’ designed to boost energy levels in children suffering from malnutrition during The Great Depression, a claim based on the drink’s high carbohydrate and sugar levels.

It’s a ‘tonic food’ so it’s obvs healthy.Source:Supplied

Made by dehydrating a thick malt syrup and grinding it into a powder, the drink is now popular in over 40 countries, including many in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and South America.

To celebrate this iconic Australian creation, we’ve mixed up a few recipes that go beyond simply sprinkling Milo over vanilla ice cream (though that continues to be our favourite way to eat it…).

MILK AND MILO FUDGE

The news.com.au office has tasted these fudge squares, and they’re seriously as good as they look. Picture: Tristan LutzeSource:news.com.au

This rich, malty fudge — with a layer of ‘milk’ and a layer of Milo — might be our new favourite way of eating our favourite Aussie malt powder.

Makes approximately 50 pieces.

Milk fudge:

500g white chocolate

1x 395g tin sweetened condensed milk

30g butter

3 tablespoons Milo

Milo fudge:

500g milk chocolate

1x 395g tin sweetened condensed milk

30g butter

3 tablespoons Milo

Method:

Grease a 24cm x 20cm square baking tray and line with baking paper.

In a microwave proof bowl, combine the milk fudge ingredients. Microwave on medium for 30 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula. Repeat until the chocolate and butter have melted, and the mix is a smooth, thick liquid.

Quickly transfer the liquid to the prepared baking tray and refrigerate for one hour.

Repeat the process again with the Chocolate Fudge ingredients, pouring the smooth, melted mix on top of the set white chocolate fudge.

Refrigerate for two hours, then remove from the tray and cut with a hot knife.

Wrap pieces individually in squares of baking paper and keep cold until serving.

MILO PANCAKES

Those multi malty layers! Picture: Tristan LutzeSource:news.com.au

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this decadent stack of malty pancakes makes it hard to argue.

Makes approx. eight pancakes, depending on size

Ingredients:

¾ cup plain flour

½ cup milk

2 tbsp sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp baking powder

4 tbsp Milo

To serve:

Mascarpone or vanilla ice cream

Chocolate sauce

Extra Milo

Method:

Whisk ingredients together in a large bowl.

Spoon portions of liquid into a non-stick pan over a medium heat and cook until bubbles appear across the surface. Flip each pancake carefully.

Serve pancakes stacked with a squeeze of chocolate syrup, a spoon of mascarpone or vanilla ice cream, and a dusting of Milo.

MILO NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Chocolate crackle on the bottom, cheesy goodness on top. Picture: Tristan LutzeSource:news.com.au

A chocolate cheesecake is already a thing of joy, but replace the cocoa powder with Milo and it becomes something special. Make the base out of a giant chocolate crackle and you’ve got heaven in a cake tin.

Base:

2 cups rice bubbles

½ cup icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

½ cup desiccated coconut

120g Copha

Cheesecake:

120g Milo (plus extra for dusting)

½ cup warm milk

1 tsp powdered gelatine, dissolved in 1/3 cup hot water

500g cream cheese

150ml cream

½ cup castor sugar

Extra Milo for dusting

Method:

Line a 24cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper on the base and around the sides.

Combine the rice bubbles, icing sugar, cocoa powder and desiccated coconut in a bowl. Melt the copha in a saucepan over the stove or in a bowl in the microwave, and add to the mixed ingredients, stirring well.

Transfer the mix to the cake tin, pushing slightly with a spatula to compress. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine Milo, milk, gelatine dissolved in water and cream cheese. Mix well until combined. Use electric handheld beaters to whip the mixture until light and airy.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream and castor sugar until thick. Carefully fold the cream mixture into the Milo/cream cheese mix, then spoon into the cake tin (on top of the chilled chocolate crackle base).

Tap the tin on the bench a few times to settle the mixture, then refrigerate for at least two hours before removing from cake tin. Dust with additional Milo and serve.

Or you could just pour it in a glass with some milk. Simple. Picture: Tristan LutzeSource:news.com.au

Tristan Lutze is a food writer and photographer who enjoys eating Milo by the spoonful. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

This story wasn’t sponsored. We just really likes Milo.