Different methods for making crushed ice from ice cubes
Cool drinks are not only a special summer treat. Anyone who enjoys mixing cocktails knows that crushed ice is a key ingredient in many recipes, adding the finishing touch to drinks both in terms of taste and appearance. Various supermarkets and petrol stations sell crushed ice, but if you want to save money, you can also make the crushed ice yourself with just a few ingredients. But how exactly does it work? What methods are there and what is needed to make it? We have compiled all the important information, tips and tricks about crushed ice for you below.
What can crushed ice be used for?
While crushed ice is usually made from ice cubes, there are some differences between the two types of ice. The largest crushed ice has a larger surface area than ice cubes, which allows for faster and more effective cooling and is ideal for alcoholic drinks, shakes, smoothies and desserts, while also serving decorative purposes - compared to conventional ice cubes, the surface area of the ice is much larger. This means that the heat exchange between the liquid to be cooled and the pieces of ice can take place more quickly and cooling is much more effective. Crushed ice is suitable for cooling alcoholic drinks, fruity shakes and smoothies, iced desserts and much more. Cocktails with a high alcohol content can be slightly weakened by the melting ice. In addition to cooling, crushed ice also serves a decorative purpose.
What do you need for crushed ice?
To make crushed ice at home, you always need ice cubes. You can buy these in shops or make them yourself. If you don't have an ice cube machine, you can simply use an ice cube mold filled with tap water and put it in the freezer or freezer compartment of the fridge. You will get the best taste if you filter the tap water beforehand. As soon as the water is frozen, the finished ice cubes can be removed from the mold and used to make crushed ice. Instead of an ice cube mold, you can also use special freezer bags to make ice cubes.
Three methods for making crushed ice yourself.
There are various ways to make crushed ice from ice cubes. If you have a blender or even an ice crusher, you can use these devices to make crushed ice quickly and easily. Some juicers or slow juicers are also suitable for this. But don't worry, even if you don't have a food processor at hand, you don't have to do without crushed ice in your drinks. You can also crush ice cubes with a towel and a hammer or meat tenderizer. You can find out exactly how to use the three different production methods below.
With the stand mixer
If you have a blender, you can use it to make crushed ice. This method is quick and easy and requires no effort. The following instructions explain step by step how to do it and what you should look out for.
Step 1: Making ice cubes
Make ice cubes using an ice cube mold. You should allow at least two hours for this, depending on the temperature of the ice tray.
Step 2: Fill the blender with ice cubes.
Fill the blender with five to ten ice cubes. In order for the blender to break up the hard crystal structure of the ice cubes, it should have a power of at least 1000 Watts and a speed of at least 10,000 revolutions.
Step 3: Switch on the pulse function
Switch on the blender. Make sure you set the pulse function (also known as the crushed ice function), which alternately increases and decreases the speed of the blade. This produces nice crushed ice and not fine ice snow. If necessary, you can add a small amount of water to make the ice less sticky.
Step 4: Pour the crushed ice into glasses
Pour the finished crushed ice into glasses to use straight away or into a container in which you can store the ice for later in the freezer.
With the ice crusher
An ice crusher - also known as an ice mill or ice crusher - is a kitchen appliance that is used specifically for making crushed ice. A basic distinction can be made between manual and electric ice crushers. Manual models are operated with a crank handle, which usually sets a rotating roller in motion. This crushes the ice cubes into relatively coarse but uniform pieces, which are more suitable for cocktails than desserts. Manual ice crushers are well suited for smaller quantities of ice. However, if a lot of crushed ice is required, it is preferable to use an electric ice crusher. In these models, a rotating disk fitted with blades scrapes thin shards off the ice cubes. The resulting crushed ice is very fine and therefore melts relatively quickly. It is particularly suitable for iced desserts.
Crushed ice with a towel and hammer
If you don't have a blender or ice crusher at hand, you can also simply use a kitchen towel and a hammer to make crushed ice without any kitchen utensils. Spread out a kitchen towel on the work surface and press the ice cubes out of the mold onto the towel. Now use the towel to form a bag to seal the ice cubes. Grasp the bag just above the ice cubes and place it on a firm and sturdy surface. To crush the ice cubes, gently hit the bag several times with a hammer. Instead of a hammer, you can also use any other hard object, such as a shoe, rolling pin or meat tenderizer."