Slushies can help bring down the high summer temperature especially if you have to spend most of your time indoors. Using a slushie maker is one of the guaranteed ways of getting a chilled slushie that doesn’t water down fast. However, if you don’t have a slushie maker you can always use a blender as illustrated below.
Making a slushie with a blender
So the first step is to make a syrup using water and sugar in a mixing bowl. Get one cup of sugar and two cups of water, dissolve the sugar by stirring and ensure that no grains are left behind. Then add 1 ½ teaspoon of flavored sugar and between 5 and 10 drops of food coloring. Then using a whisk balloon stir to distribute flavored sugar and food coloring into the syrup.
In your blender add two cups of ice, with the previous flavored mixture, most importantly you have to ensure that your blender has been designed to blend ice cubes. Set your blend at its highest speed and blend the mixture until you get the desired consistency. Given that ice is a bit hard to blend, you can stop and help mix the ice using a long spoon to get the final acceptable consistency.
Once done, you can taste the slushie if your taste buds are well excited you can transfer it to your favorite glass and lounge. But if you still find the taste wanting, you can add the flavoring, whether strawberry, lime, or vanilla. You can also add more sugar but be sure to blend the slushie properly so that all the added ingredients are properly incorporated in the already existing slushie.
Making slushie with a slushie maker
If you are a perfectionist and are tired of taking slushies from the restaurant then the slushie maker will provide you with restaurant-quality slushies, made from home. The preparation process takes as little as 5 minutes, and the one thing that makes using the slushie-making machine convenient is the fact that you will not have to blend ice cubes.
You will, therefore, need sweet syrup and flavor, cold water, and the slush machine. The first step is to add all the ingredients into the slushie machine, then press start, the cooling system will cool the ingredients and provide you with a slushie drink.
Slushie making method using a freezer
The first step is to make a syrup using water and sugar, dissolve sugar into the water and stir to dissolve the granules. 4 cups of water and one cup of sugar should do the trick, alternatively, you can use your favorite drink or liquid instead of water.
The second step is to add food coloring (5-10 drops) or your flavored extract (1 ½ teaspoon), you will then transfer the liquid into a baking dish, with high walls so that the liquid doesn’t spillover. Cover the baking dish with its lid, and put it in the freezer.
The freezing time has been set for 2 hours but be sure to stir it after every30 minutes so that it doesn’t become compact and fail to form a slushie. Once the two hours have elapsed, you can take the slushie from the freezer, and scoop it out into your favorite glass.
The one disadvantage to this method, when compared to using a blender, is that you cannot enhance the taste of the already processed slushie, by adding flavoring or a liquid without it becoming watery.
How to make slushies with an ice cream maker
When it comes to slushie making, you can never run out of options, as we have realized, you can make a sweet consistent slushie at home without using any mixing appliance, just your freezer. But if you have an ice cream maker, it will also work great check below.
In a mixing bowl, you will add four cups of water and one cup of sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar, add in flavored extract (1 ½ teaspoon) and food coloring (5-10 drops). For the best final product, you can match the flavor with the food coloring, for example, lemon and lime extract combined with green food coloring.
Pour the slushie mix into the ice cream maker and process it for a maximum of 20 minutes, to avoid it turning into ice. If the recommended 20 minutes are not enough, you can keep processing until you achieve the recommended consistency.
Best blenders for making slushies
If you plan on using your blender to make slushies then you must ensure that it can break the ice without suffering structural damage. Some of the best blenders that are convenient for crushing ice and making frozen drinks are outlined below.
The BL610 series blender from Ninja retails cheaply, has incorporated a powerful 1,000 watts motor, perfect for crushing ice and frozen fruits. Most of the parts are BPA-free, can be washed in the dishwasher, and has a large capacity. The unit features a sturdy blade assembly with varied blending intensities.
The Hamilton 54220 blender is only effective for light jobs, the unit features a four-tip blade and a 700-watt motor. Among its best features is the glass jar, and the fact that it doesn’t make a lot of noise. You can use it to crush ice but have to be extra careful because it’s lightweight.
The Blendtec classic 575 is a powerful blender, equipped with up to 1,560 watts motor, has incorporated a BPA-free plastic pitcher with a 32-ounce blending capacity. The unit is perfect for crushing ice and frozen fruits; the blender is not very loud and users can alternate between the 10 variable speeds.
Conclusion
The best slushies are made by the slushie maker but in the absence of a particular appliance, you can always use a blender, an ice cream maker, your baking bowl, or a freezer. Slushies can be made from different flavors, some are made of wine and others of coffee, it’s therefore, really up to you and what you wish to explore.
FAQ’s
Can you make a slushie with soda?
Yes, you can make a slushie with your favorite soda, just freeze the soda for 4 hours, and then blend it as you consistently add a small amount of the liquid soda.
Can I put soda in a slushie-making machine?
Yes, you can put soda in a slushie-making machine and make slushies with it.
