Best Molded Ice Sculpture Recipes

MOLDED ICE SCULPTURE

Steps:

• Making an ice sculpture is very easy if you use this method. The molds I used are decorative and easy to unmold because they are flexible. All you are doing in this recipe is freezing water.
• Select flexible silicone molds to create the sculpture base and cake stand. I used 3 molds. For the sculpture base, I used a small sunflower and centered it in the mold (place flowers upside down). When the flower is in place, fill the mold 1/3 full with water. Place the mold in the freezer. If all of the water is added at this time, the flower will float to the top. When the water has frozen, remove the mold from the freezer and add more water so the mold is 2/3's full. Return the mold to the freezer. The mold must be filled in stages to keep the previously frozen ice from floating to the top of the mold. When the additional water is frozen, remove from the freezer, fill the mold with water and return to the freezer. Repeat these steps using the other molds and use any flowers or fresh leaves to decorate your sculpture.
• Apply the same technique to plastic water bottle that has been cut to size. This can be the column that supports the other ice bases.
• When all of the pieces have been frozen, use a box grater or a wood plainer to flatten the surface of the mold. It is especially important to flatten the spot where 2 pieces are joined together. Sprinkle a little of the ice shaving on the spot. Wet with a little water and immediately "glue" 2 pieces together. Put the whole sculpture back in the freezer until ready to use.
• When the entire mold is frozen, it is ready to be displayed.

DECORATIVE ICE CUBES OR ICE MOLD

Steps:

• FOR DECORATIVE ICE CUBES: put small chunks of fruit or mint sprigs into an ice tray, fill with water and freeze.
• Serve the ice cubes directly in drinks, or put them out in a glass bowl or ice bucket with tongs.
• FOR THE DECORATIVE ICE MOLD: you will need a glass bowl that is smaller than your punch bowl, plus a second shallow container of equal volume.
• Fill the shallow container with water and let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, stirring it from time to time to get rid of any air bubbles.
• Line the bottom (but not up the sides) of the empty glass bowl with fruit and/or flowers of your choice.
• Take a tablespoon or so of water from the shallow container and pour this water over the fruit/flower layer, then put the glass bowl in the freezer, leaving it there until the fruit/flower layer is anchored in ice.
• Next, pour another tablespoon or so of the reserved water over the first (now frozen), and allow this to freeze; continue adding water and letting it freeze until the fruit/flower layer is just barely covered in ice.
• Now start going up the bowl, laying fruit and/or flowers against the side of the bowl, and pouring water over them a little at a time, allowing the water to freeze to anchor the fruit and/or flowers against the side of the bowl.
• Continue adding water and allowing it to freeze until the bowl is full of ice.
• When you're ready to use the mold, let the bowl sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes; or alternatively, put it in a slightly larger bowl containing warm water for a couple of minutes.
• When the ice has melted just enough so that it's no longer stuck to the side of the bowl, invert the whole thing inside your punch bowl; the result will be a mound of ice with fruit and flowers all over its surface (Note: when you pour some punch over it, the ice surface will become clear, though it's usually opaque when it first comes out of the mold).