Bobby Flay's Ice-Making Hack Is Strange But Weirdly Brilliant
When you're prepping beverages for a large gathering, there's one thing you always need to be fully stocked on — ice. Whether you're creating whatever each guest desires or serving up a few specific cocktails crafted in larger batches, most drinks require it. Anyone who has tackled the latter knows the frustration of a watered-down beverage, thanks to masses of ice within the drink that have melted too quickly. While you could add fresh ice to each glass as you serve it, doing so eliminates the ease of whipping up a batch cocktail everyone can serve up for themselves.
However, chef and television personality Bobby Flay shared a strange but brilliant hack on TikTok that you'll want to try. In the video, he whipped up a massive bowl of punch that included fresh watermelon and mint. Then, rather than including individual ice cubes to keep his cocktail chilled, he added one large block of ice, which had been crafted in a bundt pan. That's right — a regular cake pan, not a specific ice cube mold or anything like that. Then, Flay lowered this specially-crafted ice ring into the cocktail to keep the drink cool as individual portions were served. This hack works because there's less surface area on one large block of ice than on many smaller, individual cubes, so it melts much more slowly.
Level up the aesthetics and flavors of your ice block
Bobby Flay elevated his bundt pan ice block further by embedding pieces of fruit within it. As a result, his hand-crafted ice added an appealing visual component to the cocktail and kept it colder for longer. First of all, if you don't happen to have a bundt pan, don't worry. You could try this hack with virtually any cake pan that fits into your serving vessel and freezer. Second, if you'd like to follow Flay's lead and get creative with your block of ice, we've got a few suggestions.
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Regarding what to add to your ice block for decorative purposes, remember that some of the ice's flavors will go into your drink. Plus, the ice block will melt eventually. So, you ideally want to select ingredients already present in your beverage or add ones that complement its other flavors. Fresh fruit is a great place to start, but you might also consider freezing fresh herbs or edible flowers for a stunning visual effect.
If you want to ensure your guests see all the details in your carefully-crafted ice block (and that it lasts as long as possible), consider the type of water you use. Regular tap water often develops a somewhat cloudy appearance when it freezes. To avoid this, make ice with distilled water, preferably water that has been boiled for a few minutes. The purer your water is, the more transparent your ice block will be — and the slower it'll melt.