How To Make 5 Delicious Shaved Ice Dessert Treats

If you’ve been tuning in, you’ve have read my product review on the Hawaiian Shaved Ice Machine, promptly went online and ordered yourself one and have been thanking me ever since. But variety is the spice of life so here are five unique recipes to go with your favorite summer kitchen appliance!

1. Sugar-Free Water Enhancers

If you’re shying away from making homemade snow cone syrup because you’re watching your sugar intake, then you’re in luck. Liquid water enhancers are the hot new trend and major water brands such as Dasani and mega marts like Target and Walmart all producing their own line of liquid water flavorings, so you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to your low to no calorie shaved ice.

Sugar-Free Syrup

Ingredients:

1 x 1.62oz bottle of your favorite water enhancer ( I like Wyler’s Light Grape Water Enhancer )

2 cups water

Lemon or lime juice, to taste.

Instructions:

Thoroughly mix the water enhancer with the water until they combine.

Gently drizzle over your shaved ice, to taste. About 2 – 3 tablespoons will do it.

The syrup will be concentrated, so be sure you mix well to get evenly coated, highly flavored, fluffy shaved ice

Add lemon or lime juice to taste – this will cut through the sweetness

2. Hassle-Free Granita

If a Mr. Snow Cone and a Ms. Sorbet had a baby, it would be a Granita.

Unlike shaved ice or Sorbet (the former being ice crystals mixed with syrup and the latter a usually fruit mixture slowly churned for a dense creamy consistency) granita is essentially flavored flakey ice that has the flavors suspended in the ice itself. An old treat that originated in Italy, Granita is commonly made with sweetened fruit juice and a whole lot of patience (It needs to be agitated every 40 minutes during the freezing time to get the right texture). By using the Hawaiian Shaved Ice Machine to make granita, you’ll have refreshment in seconds. Just make sure to rinse out your Shaved Ice Machine immediately after.

Cantaope Granita

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed cantaloupe

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions:

Blend the cantaloupe, sugar and lime juice until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if needed (this all depends on how sweet your fruit is) Pour into the molds provided and freeze overnight.

Once frozen, run the blocks of frozen cantaloupe juice through the snow cone maker. You will end up with lovely sheets of sweet cantaloupe that breaks up and disperses upon contact with your tongue. That’s a good thing.

This is a great way to use up the abundance of summer / fall fruit. This works with practically any fruit that has a watery consistency when blended. Try it with watermelon!

3. Fruit Sorbets

On the subject of Sorbets, running blocks of frozen fruit packed in syrup is great for when you want a more substantial texture to your shaved ice – softer, slightly springy and unbelievably addictive. By using whole fruit packed in a light simple syrup, you’ll have a sorbet in seconds! OK, seconds plus freezing time. This works very well with strawberries and pineapple.

Easy Fruit Sorbet

Ingredients:

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

2 cups chopped ripe fruit (strawberries, pineapple or grapes are favorites at our house)

Instructions:

Make light simple syrup by boiling the water and the sugar together for 2 minutes until thick.

Set aside to cool completely.

Pack as many strawberry or pineapple as you can into the ice molds in even layers.

Pour the syrup into the mold, shaking to fill all the nooks and crannies.

Freeze overnight, and then run through the Hawaiian Shaved Ice Machine.

Serve as is, or quickly mix together for a nice scoop-able consistency.

Grape Sorbet made with the Hawaiian Shaved Ice Machine

(This is also great with canned fruit packed in syrup such as peaches or pears)

4. Asian Style Sweet Soup

My Husband tells me all the time: Asians do not get dessert right. Soup? For dessert? That’s crazy talk! That was before he tried this sweet soup, and he has seen the light!

This is a simpler take on a very popular dish throughout South East Asia where sweet soups are a common street food for many looking for a sweet treat. Here the shaved ice acts as a lovely go-between that cuts through the sweetness of the fruit and coconut milk, cooling you down and cleansing your palate. If you want to get more exotic, use canned Asian fruits such as lychee and jack fruit, and add firm, cut-up jello and plain, soft-cooked red beans for interesting textures.

Red, White & Blue Sweet Soup

Ingredients

Coconut sauce:

1 14oz can of coconut cream

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 medium banana, sliced

½ cup strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters

¼ cup blueberries

Instructions

Make the coconut sauce by whisking together the cornstarch, coconut milk, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and allow the sauce to thicken, whisking occasionally.

Fill a large wide cup halfway with shaved ice. Add the banana, strawberries and blueberries. Top off with more shaved ice – you may need to pack it down a little.

Add coconut sauce to taste and mix with a long spoon. Taste and add more coconut sauce if needed.

Serve with a spoon and a straw so you can fish out the fresh fruit and sip on the lovely sauce.

5. Iced Coffee Slushie

Can’t live without your morning cup of coffee? Neither can I, which is why I’m thankful for coffee that comes in slushie form. This will defiantly rev you up in the right direction, especially on hot mornings. Made with instant coffee, this is a shortcut Vietnamese coffee that is sweetened with condensed milk instead of sugar, adding a delightful creaminess alongside the strong hit of coffee.

A warning: this recipe makes for a strong coffee as it needs to stand up to the shaved ice that will eventually water it down.