Lime Water Ice

Name: Lime Water Ice
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cups of cold water; 1 cup of sugar; (1-2 teaspoons); 4-5 drops neon green food coloring

Easy Philly-style lime water ice with simple ingredients, churn tips, and storage advice. Kid-friendly summer treat ready in about 25 minutes of churning.

I was born & raised in Philadelphia. I LOVED my neighborhood! We never locked our doors. I was within walking distance of all of my friends yet had a huge yard where my dad had an enormous garden, cherry tree, apple tree, swimming pool and more. We had bats at night, snakes in the strawberry patch and the occasional surprise critter visit since we backed up to a wooded area. I loved it! When you think of Philly, you think of The Liberty Bell, The Reading Terminal Market, Rocky, Cheese Steaks and Hoagies...right?? But right up there with all of those are soft pretzels and water ice....Oh water ice, how I love you! I have to say that water ice is at the top of my list when it comes to a dessert...actually any time of the year! If you have never had it you will be in for a treat! 25 years ago a now famous water ice company, started by a Philly fireman, opened their first and second shops not far from where I grew up...lucky for me their second shop was within a 15 minute walk from my house AND my friends and I walked right past it on the way home from high school! It was love at first bite for me! Recently I decided to try to make my own DIY Philadelphia Style Water Ice...I though it would be a fun project to do with the kids over the summer...and boy was I right about THAT!

Classic Philly water ice needs just water, sugar, flavoring and an ice cream maker for the best slushy texture.
Churn 20 to 25 minutes until slushy, then freeze in jars for storage so it does not turn rock hard.
You can swap extracts for fresh juice, skip the ice cream maker with a freeze-and-scrape method, and adjust sweetness carefully.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups of cold water
1 cup of sugar
1-2 teaspoons key lime extract
4-5 drops neon green food coloring

Preparation Instructions:

In a small pot combine 1 cup of the water and your sugar. Heat just until the sugar melts and the liquid is clear. Stir occasionally until then. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the remainder of the water as well as the extract and the food coloring. Place your liquid into the bucket of your chilled ice cream maker bucket (I always keep at least one in my freezer, ready at a moments notice when the need for ice cream, sorbet and now water ice strikes) and churn until it becomes slushy-ish which should take about 20-25 minutes. Perfect water ice is slushy, with some of it turning to juice again along the sides, you scoop it up with a spoon and sometimes sip on it...its magical!

When you store your just made water ice - do NOT store it in your ice cream bucket - it will harden like a rock and take forever to thaw. Instead freeze it in mason jars (already per-portioned - a plus!) or a container. Prior to serving allow it to once again become slushy, stirring it up as it begins to thaw.

Enjoy!!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Philadelphia water ice?

Water ice is a Philadelphia-style frozen dessert similar to Italian ice or sorbet. It is made from water, sugar and flavoring, churned to a soft, slushy texture and served scoopable.

Can I use fresh lime juice instead of key lime extract?

Yes. Start with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus a teaspoon of zest and taste. If you use fresh juice, reduce the added water by the juice amount and adjust sugar to taste. Extract is more concentrated so you need less volume.

How can I make water ice without an ice cream maker?

Pour the sweetened lime liquid into a shallow metal or glass pan and freeze. Every 30 to 45 minutes scrape and stir the forming crystals with a fork. Repeat until the texture is fluffy and slushy, about 2 to 4 hours total.

Why should I not store water ice in the ice cream maker bucket?

The chilled bucket freezes thin, water-based desserts into a solid block that is hard to scoop. Instead portion into mason jars or airtight containers. Let frozen jars soften to slushy before serving.

How long do I churn and how long before serving?

Churn in a pre-chilled ice cream maker for about 20 to 25 minutes until slushy. If you freeze it solid for storage, let it sit at room temperature and stir every 10 minutes until slushy, usually 20 to 30 minutes.

Can I reduce sugar or use sugar substitutes?

You can, but sugar affects freezing and texture. Less sugar makes the water ice icier and harder. If you must cut sugar, use a freezer-friendly sweetener blend made for frozen desserts and test texture and taste.

Is this recipe kid-friendly and any safety tips?

Yes. It is a great kid activity with supervision. Measure extracts carefully since they are concentrated. Food coloring is optional. Keep utensils and containers clean and label jars before freezing.

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