How to Make Perfect Ice Balls
Ideal for cooling gigantic drinks, or testing pain tolerance.
By Rob Cockerham |
I'm a big fan of making ice.
I've made a solid ice six pack holder, and I spent almost a month trying to make clear ice.
![How to Make an Ice Ball](pour_water.jpg)
In my ice-making adventures, I stumbled across these Ikea bowls which have a nearly spherical shape. They are great for making ice balls!
![How to Make an Ice Ball](two_bowls.jpg)
Start with two bowls, fill them with water and freeze two half-spheres of ice.
![How to Make an Ice Ball](two_halves.jpg)
I've had great success in getting the ice out of the bowls. My technique is to immerse the ice bowl into a larger bowl of warm water. In about one minute, the ice will melt free of the bowl and you'll be able to slip the half-ball out of the ceramic.
The second freeze should be an attempt to cement the two halves together.
![How to Make an Ice Ball](halfs_upturned.jpg)
Slip both halves into one bowl and fill the void between them with cold water.
![How to Make an Ice Ball](almost_complete_ball.jpg)
In a few hours you'll have an ice Pac Man shape. Thaw him out of his bowl and flip him around so he is resting gap-side-down in the same bowl. Fill the gap with cold water and freeze again.
![How to Make an Ice Ball](ball_complete.jpg)
Voila! The ball should be finished!
Any imperfections can be sawn off with a serrated kitchen knife.
Although not terribly useful, the ice balls are unmistakably attractive. Try them at parties, crowding the beers in a styrofoam chest or cooling bowls of punch.
Myself, I found them so irresistable I wanted to hold them, and challenged others to hold them: The Ice Ball Challenge.