Icy round balls for your drinks!

I have been wanting to buy these little molds for some time. I was at a local Kitchen store in the Des Moines East Village and found these cute ones. This specific brand is Prepara. I have tried others, but they were disappointing. The mold on another I tried was not an individual one. It made four pieces at a time. I found it did not fill appropriately and it made for really odd-shaped ice balls.

Cut your fruit or garnish to size to fit in the mold. I chose lemon, mint, and blackberry.

Fill with water. Close the top cap. Freeze.

I have tried tap water, filtered water from my fridge, and distilled water. All have produced almost the same results. However, the distilled water had the clearest ice. I have read if you want them clearer, then you should boil the distilled water before in a very clean pot. It just depends on how much trouble you want to go through for an ice ball.

I have also since learned not to fill the molds all the way to the top. You should leave some space for expansion. It will make a small part of your ice ball flat, but it still looks really cool and sits well at the bottom of a rocks glass. If you do not leave any space, your mold will expand and you will have Pac-Man shaped ice. Still kinda cool… Old School.

You can also use juice or any part of your drink which will freeze. Freeze tomato juice for a bloody mary or clamato for a bloody caesar. Cranberry juice for a Cape Cod. You get it, the possibilities are endless.

Try it as just plain ice with your favorite spirit.

Whatever you do your guests will love your icy cold balls… Ha!