[Updated 1 June 2020]Summer is here, and so the time has come when every household must prepare their favorite watery cuisine. When it is drooling hot outside, the need to quench the thirst tops the priority list – something cool that can tranquil yourself from within, and what can be better than a snow-cone?
Snow Cones can not only be enjoyed in the Summer months, with a little effort, but this adventurous dessert can also be enjoyed in the Winter as well. The joy of making the snow cones from real snow is fun and unleashes the kid in you. Rarely one would find an excuse not to leap on it, and eat them till the cup empties.
Enough of the small talk -it’s time that we learn a few simple tricks on how to make snow-cones simply and easily from the comfort of our home.
Making snow-cones from ICE (Normal Ice)
It is the beauty of ice, and the mastery of the syrups that give the snow cones a magical taste.
Essential Ingredients
- Ice
- Blender or ice crusher
- Ready-made syrups or homemade syrups
- Paper cups
- Sweeteners (Optional)
Step-1:
First things first, prepare your ice. Anywhere from less to moderate amounts of ice can be used to satisfy your and your family’s cravings. However, you would need a jar full of ice if the party gets big.
Before you start shredding the ice in the blender, ensure that you follow the instructions prescribed for operating it.
- If you want your ice to be a bit rough, blend it for less time, ensure that the ice is not too big, the ideal size would be the size of sugar.
- For those who prefer finely crushed ice could obtain it by grinding the ice in the blender for a longer time.
- What if you don’t have a blender? Don’t worry, you can always use heavy-duty plastic bags, roll your ice into it, and start smashing it with a hammer or a tenderizing malt. Either way is suitable to prepare your ice for Snow-Cones.
Step-2:
After you have crushed the ice into fine particles, take it out from the blender and remove it in a cup. Be quick and make sure you fill the cup with ice to prevent it from melting as the scorching heat from summer will try to turn it into liquid.
Step-3:
Don’t pour the syrups; instead, drizzle it. The reason behind this slow pouring of syrups is to prevent the ice from breaking and to lower the rate of melting. One important thing to remember is to not use an excess of syrup at once. Why? Because the temperature difference might turn your snow-cones into a slush.
Step-4:
Serve the colorful and yummy snow-cones with toppings of fresh fruit, condensed milk, sliced almonds, etc. These toppings are not only tasty, but they also add some different textures to the snow cone. The ideal way of serving the snow-cone is in a paper cup, as they can be easily disposed of.
Home Snow Cone MachinesBUT WHAT IF IT IS NOT SUMMER OUTSIDE?
The simple steps above outline a great way to make a snow cone in the Summer, but what would you do if someone asks you to serve them the delicious snow-cone in winter – when it’s snowing all around.
I would suggest you tell them to wait, while you follow these simple steps and serve them a snow-cone worth remembering.
Snow-cones out of real snow !!
There’s a bit of mystery as to when and who first initiated the art of snow cones.
Some say that Snow-cones date back to centuries when people living atop the hill used to bring freshly fallen snow to the valleys and sold them with various syrups and made a living out of it. Then came the ice-making industry, and snow-cones were no longer restricted to the winter season. They became a taste of all seasons.
Snow-cones in winter have their charm. Outlined below are details to prepare a flavorsome winter delight. It is very easy to prepare your version of flavored snow-cones. All that you need is some fresh snow and your choice of topping to go with.
Step-1:
Collect freshly fallen snow. You can put your children up to this task. They will be amazed at the crystals of snowflakes and their structures. It’s best to take fresh snow free of all impurities.
It will be wise to put large bowls to collect snow before it makes contact with the ground, as this would ensure that the snow is free from dirt, impurities, and other yucky stuff. Besides, the chilled bowl will keep ice from melting for a longer time.
Step-2:
If you are using a paper cone, make sure you pack ice a little tighter at the bottom to avoid the melting of the ice.
Step-3:
Add syrup, slowly and steadily, and garnish it with dry fruits to get a unique experience.
See, how simple it is to win the hearts with a little effort and also to satisfy your cravings for a snow-cone slurp.
You can always let your imagination fly and make mini-snow balls, create various shapes out of fresh snow, and let yourself enjoy the mesmerizing taste with an added tinge of fun.
With little experimentation, the snow-cones can be made unique each time.
If you have children, you can try a variety of syrups, a mixture, encourage your young ones to try out different flavors, and give their taste buds a chance to explore.
Varieties of Syrups and their formulas
It is necessary to break the streak. You must try out various flavors and go for different techniques to prepare them. Snow-cones are an unforgettable part of childhood, and many people remember it as if it all happened yesterday.
Part 1: Readily Available Syrups
There are numerous options available in the market when it comes to ready-made syrup. You can opt for some popular syrups like cherry, blue raspberry, peach, strawberry, orange, blueberry, root beer, vanilla cream, etc. based on your taste and liking. These flavors are liked by both kids and adults, and they are also hard to resist. Besides this, you can also add raisins, nuts, and other toppings to enhance the taste as well as to give all your snow-cones a different look.
Part 2: Homemade Syrups
For many of us, the homemade version of everything is the best option. Yes, you can easily make the snow cone syrups at home and guess what it is not even expensive or time-consuming. One of the best things about the homemade syrups is that it doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors; they are 100% natural. Besides this, it requires very few easily available ingredients like sugar, water, fresh fruits, etc.
Step by Step Guide to Prepare Mouth-watering Snow Cone Syrups
Step 1:
Take a sauce-pan and mix one and a half cups of sugar with four cups of water and a cup full of fresh fruit or either frozen fruit. Heat the pan on a medium flame and mash the fruits as it heats. This is recommended in order to get the best flavor out of the fruit, and it also gives you a brighter color.
Step 2:
Boil the ingredients on a medium flame until it becomes thick. Also, remember to stir the mixture every 3-4 minutes so that the pulp doesn’t settle at the bottom of the pan. Remember not to make it too thick; we are not making a ‘Fruit Jam.’ Add water if you think the syrup is getting too thick.
Step 3:
Turn off the gas and allow the mixture to cool before you fill it in squeeze bottles. Your syrup is now ready to be served with snow cones.
These snow-cone syrup recipes are easy, and they allow you to choose the flavor, texture, and taste as per your wish.
Do not limit yourself to Mangoes, Lime, or Orange. Try out various fruits like strawberries, kiwis, Apple-cinnamon, raspberry, watermelon, and all that you like. The plus side is that the recipes and formulas remain the same for all the syrups; only the core ingredient changes each time you decide to give your tastebuds a unique flavor to remember.
A note about Sweeteners (if you are adding them)
All of the Sweetening ingredients will work well like honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar except for the stevia and xylitol. Because they will not help make your syrup thick, and the saucepan will be left with a watery substance.
Follow these steps, do not hesitate to dive into the experiments and try-outs.
Try different flavors, go for a variety of tastes, switch to full-on taste buster mode, and serve yourself and your loved ones a true fantasy wrapped in chilled ice!