This is by far my favorite way to make ice. It is a bit laborious but the results are well worth it. You will need a sandwich size Ziploc bag. I put my freezer on the coldest setting while I'm making these 'batches' of ice. Squeeze ALL of the air out of the bag. Lay the bag flat; on a flat on a flat level surface in the coldest part of your freezer. You can use a sheet pan, if (like me) your freezer has a wire rack in it. Leave the bag in the freezer until it is just beginning to freeze around the edges. This step takes about ten minutes in my freezer. Next you will need something to break up the barely formed ice. You can use your fingers but I have found that a rolling pin or something flat like a book work best. I use a small cutting board. Pressing the ice with the flat side then I pound it a bit with the edge of the board. The goal here is getting the ice pieces as small as possible while working quickly so it won't melt (another reason why your hands don't work well because their heat melts the ice.) Put it back in the freezer again, laying flat as possible. After about 6 to 8 more minutes take the bag back out, again you will see that it has just started to freeze and repeat what you did before, breaking up the ice. In all you will want to repeat this step 4 to 6 times always making sure you have no large pieces of ice and being careful not to pop the bag. I know this may seem like a lot but the more you repeat this step the better the end result. You really want to almost grind the ice (if that makes any sense.) So after you've repeated that step enough times you will end up with a slushy like consistency put it back in the freezer for about 8 minutes. Now this is very important, when you take the bag out of the freezer again make sure not to break it. It must be a thin sheet of ice, that is mostly frozen. Take the unbroken sheet and open one corner of the sandwich bag just a tad. Pour all of the unfrozen water out. Again making sure not to break the ice at all put the whole thing back in the freezer and let it freeze all the way through. Last step is to smash it gently against the wall a few times to make it into bites size pieces and enjoy!
This ice is truly the best! I like it even better than sonic. It is so chewable, you just have to try it.
Some Tips...
I use very cold tap water. It freezes faster, traps air, and the impurities in the tap make that foggy ice everyone loves but if you don't like the taste use bottle water, that's fine.
Don't use too much water 1/4 to 1/3of the way full is best. You don't want the ice too thick and anymore will take too long to freeze.
Make more than one bag at a time and keep them in the freezer for as long as you want. Unlike other ice, as long as the bag is closed it will never taste like a freezer.
Re-use your bags. Just make sure there aren't any holes.
You don't need to melt this ice at all, it is already soft. So no need to let it sit out or to pour liquids over it, you will just be letting your hard work melt away.
Try it this way first than make it your own. Feel free to experiment and please share it with us!
Sorry, if this post is too long but I'm sure you will understand my love affair with ice. I have been chewing ice for years. I have always liked sonic ice but there aren't any places that sell that type of ice near me now. I use to use trays but my boyfriend hates it. He throws them away if he finds them, which all of you must understand how frustrating that is even though he means well. Which is what lead me to discover this way of making ice which is so much better than crush and better for your teeth too because it is so soft. Please let me know if you make ice like this or what you think if you try it!