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Citrus ice cubes
I spent three summers using the same half-empty ice cube tray in a haphazard way — frozen strawberries one night, leftover basil another, plain water on weekends. Then one July afternoon I ran out of plain cubes and dumped a handful of citrus peels into the tray with whatever juice was left in my hands. The next morning, those little frozen suns turned my tap water into something worth sipping without effort.
Ingredients
Method
- Juice the oranges and grapefruit through a fine mesh strainer to catch most pulp. If you prefer more citrus flavor in each cube, leave some pulp in — about 1 teaspoon per compartment works well.
- Zest one orange and half a grapefruit using a microplane or fine grater, being careful not to get the bitter white pith underneath. The zest should be bright and fragrant.
- If using honey or maple syrup, whisk it into the juice until fully dissolved — this helps the cubes freeze more evenly and adds a touch of sweetness that prevents them from tasting too sharp.
- Pour about 2 tablespoons of juice into each compartment of an ice cube tray. Drop a pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of zest into each one, then top with a little more juice so there's barely any air gap at the top.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until completely solid. The cubes are done when they pop out easily and have no soft center.
Nutrition
Notes
I make these now because they solve a real problem: warm-weather drinks that stay cold and get better instead of worse as ice melts. They work in everything from sparkling water to sangria to the glass of water I drink before dinner. The trick is freezing them with juice rather than just peels — that way each cube releases flavor gradually, so you never end up with one bitter bite of lemon zest.
I freeze grapefruit and orange together because their flavors complement without competing. Try using whatever citrus you have on hand; even a handful of lime rinds in plain water makes a subtle difference. Don't bother straining the juice if you're not making something for company — the pulp adds nothing but work.
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