RECIPE: Floral, Herbal, or Fruit Ice

Floral, Herbal, or Fruit Filled Ice

Our freezer doesn't have an ice machine, so we freeze our ice in silicone molds.

To dress them up, I like to add 'stuff' to the ice.  

In summer I'll add EDIBLE flowers, herbs, or berries, in winter I'll add fruit.

EDIBLE flowers are varieties that are non-toxic and have been grown without chemicals.  Whole Foods sometime sells them, or you can grow your own.  Our farm has you-pick flowers, some of which are edible.  Pansies, nasturtiums, cornflower, roses, bachelor buttons, and calendula (marigolds) are all edible.   

INGREDIENTS:

• Water, or juice - I have used cucumber juice....
• EDIBLE Flowers, herbs, berries or fruit.  Strong colored flowers will show the most.
• I am using nasturtiums here, which are nice and bright.
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Note: if you boil and then cool the water, it should freeze clear, but I have not tested that.

Choose flowers that are about the same size as the depressions in your ice cube tray, they won't twist or float as much as smaller flowers. Cut fruit to fit the depressions.

If you're using flowers, immerse them in a bowl of ice water to flush out insects and to plump the petals. 

Plump your flowers in ice water

To prevent the 'garnish' from floating to the top of the ice cube, I will start by filling the tray half full.
 

Lay the flowers on the water with their good side towards the sides of the cube.  If the flower(s) isn't totally immersed in the water, that's OK.
 

Freeze.

Bottom layer of flowers before freezing

Several hours later, check to see if the water has frozen.  
 

Once the water is frozen, place another flower face up on the ice and fill the cubes to the top.  

Top layer of flowers before freezing

Freeze overnight.

The next day, your beautiful cubes should be ready to use!

Frozen flower ice cubes! 

Stack your cubes in a tall glass.  You can see there are two flowers in each cube:

Stack flower ice cubes in a tall glass.

The ice isn't as visible in colored liquid, which is why I try to use brightly colored flowers:

Flower ice cubes in apple cider & tonic.