Whether or not you’re a proud owner of a shave ice business or just here to learn how to make shave ice, there are a couple of things to consider in order to produce the perfect shave ice to enjoy or to keep happy customers coming back. Test your skills and learn how to pour some delicious shave ice syrup the right way.

Achieve it at home, or at events and fairs. With so many different flavors of shave ice syrups, it’s a guarantee for a delicious, snowy treat every time. Learn how to properly prepare for this fluffy, ice treat and how to pour your shave ice syrup.

 

Making Shave Ice – Shaving Your Ice

It all starts with the ice!

• Ensure that the ice will work well in your ice machine. If you have cube shavers, refrain from using flaked ice, since this type of ice isn’t perfect for making shave ice. Cocktail ice doesn’t work well either in this type of shaver. Use bagged or cubed ice that you can easily purchase from a convenience store. On the other hand, for block shavers, refrain from using compressed ice as it can damage your blade. Instead, use clear ice you can make at home using a mold.
• Never start shaving the ice directly out of the freezer. You need the ice to temper, or sweat a little and melt before you can shave. Put the ice into a picnic cooler for a while so that it can melt a little. Hardened ice will ruin your blade and will not make you perfect shave ice. The wait will be worth it.
• While shaving, take some of the shaved ice and see if it glistens; that is, check whether it is shining in the sunlight. If it does, that means the ice is a bit on the coarser side. The serving should have more of a lusterless, non-glossy appearance – just like snow. If you are struggling to attain this texture, it could mean a couple things – you bought the wrong machine, you have a dull blade, you have shaved ice directly out of the freezer, or the quality of ice is poor.
• Lastly, always wear gloves when shaving ice. While some health departments don’t require this, a customer might!

Flavoring the Ice – The Best Way to Pour Shave Ice Syrup

Now that you have perfected shaving ice, it is time to flavor it. We always recommend – start from the edges and rotate upward to the top. Pouring the shave ice syrup is the trickiest part of producing shave ice, and hence it takes practice to ensure that shave ice is getting enough flavoring every time. The type of pour bottle used plays a vital role!

 

Here’s how to correctly pour your shave ice syrup:

1. Start with gently pressing the shave ice cup to make a small pocket around the edge (use an optimal container – flower cups are preferred)
2. Pour the syrup around the outer rims of the cup and into the pocket.
3. While rotating your wrist, continue to pour the syrup until you reach the top of your shave ice (you want to make sure all your ice is flavored!)
4. Once on top, drizzle the syrup down the middle until the ice is completely covered
5. That’s it! your shave ice is ready to be consumed

 

Remember, the quality of your ice matters if you want to know how to make shave ice better than your competitors. Even more important, after you’ve achieved prime shave ice that is ready to be eaten, perfect that technique to pour the right amount of shave ice syrup each time.