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Food

Slushy Snowballs!

Aug 6, 2020 | Food

Slushy Snowballs!
Stay cool out there!

The New Orleans summer has a way of making even my favorite activity—eating—feel impossibly difficult. When the heat index climbs into the triple digits and the air is so humid you could wear it, snowballs are the perfect antidote.

If you’re not up for waiting in a (socially distanced) line in the heat, or if you just want a fun summer project to do at home, take these recipes for a spin! While it’s impossible to capture the fluffy texture you’d get at a snowball stand, this homemade version is a refreshing stand-in.

First things first: You’ll want to make a simple syrup, which is a fancy way of saying you’ll need to dissolve sweetener in water so it mixes easily. (You could also skip this step, in which case you’d just have a big glass of juice on finely crushed ice. Not bad!) Sugar has a neutral taste; honey is a more flavorful alternative. Whichever you choose, you can infuse the syrup with a handful of fresh herbs (mint and basil are great) or a spoonful of spices (try cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, or even a small pinch of cayenne for a little heat).

The snowball syrup flavors are templates; switch up the fruits or play around with combinations. All of the recipes will make 2 to 4 servings.

Snowballs

  • 4 cups ice cubes
  • ¼ cup rich simple syrup
  • Your choice of snowball flavor (see recipe options below)
  • Optional: Sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, or crushed fruit for serving
  1. Add the ice cubes and simple syrup to a blender. Blend on high speed until the ice is finely crushed. If the ice is crushed unevenly (large chunks mixed with fine “snow”), pause and scrape down the sides of the blender. If the blender’s motor stops, add a splash of water to keep it moving.
  2. When the ice is as fine as you can get it, dump it into a bowl and use a fork to fluff it. Freeze until you’re ready to make your snowball. The texture will be best and fluffiest if you periodically break it up with a fork.
  3. To make the snowball, scoop some ice into the bottom of a cup or dish (an ice cream scoop or ladle work well for this). Drizzle on a bit of snowball flavor. Repeat once or twice, layering ice with a light coat of your favorite flavor; by the time you’re done, the ice should be evenly saturated. If you’d like, add some topping. Enjoyright away, with a spoon and straw
Rich Simple Syrup
  • 1 ½ cups honey or sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • Optional: Small handful of fresh herbs, fresh ginger, or up to 1 ½ tsp of your favorite spices
  1. In a saucepan, combine the honey or sugar and water; add optional flavorings if using.
  2. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until sweetener dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Use a sieve to strain out the herbs or spices if you used them. Transfer to a jar to refrigerate.
Photo credit: James Collier
Watermelon Flavor
  • 1 ½ cups diced watermelon
  • ¼ cup rich simple syrup
  1. Use a blender to puree the watermelon until completely smooth. If you’d like, strain it through a few layers of cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve to make a smoother juice.
  2. Combine the watermelon juice with the simple syrup. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until completely cold.
Cream of Chocolate Flavor
  • ½ cup rich simple syrup
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup half-and-half (or whole milk or full-fat coconut milk)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  1. In a saucepan, combine the simple syrup and cocoa powder over medium-low heat just until it’s dissolved.
  2. Remove from heat and add the half-and-half and vanilla. Let cool, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate until completely cold.
Satsuma Flavor
  • ¾ cup satsuma (or clementine) juice
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup rich simple syrup
  1. Combine the juices with the simple syrup and transfer to a jar.
  2. Refrigerate until completely cold.
Blueberry Flavor
  • 1 ½ cups blueberries
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup rich simple syrup
  1. In a saucepan, combine the blueberries and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the berries burst and give up their juice.
  2. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Combine the juice with the simple syrup. Let cool, then transfer to a jar and refrigerate until completely cold.

Rémy Robert

(it rhymes with Amy Snowbear) is a born and raised New Orleanian who was thrilled to move home after a few years of living in New York and New England. Like most New Orleanians, she is food-obsessed and always thinking about her next meal. She works at NOCHI, New Orleans’ first culinary institute, and is also a professional recipe tester for cookbooks. You’ll find her feeding loved ones or marching with the Krewe of Wonder Women at Mardi Gras.

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