An ice ring is an excellent way to keep a cold drink cold when served in a large punch bowl. It can be made from water, or from the punch ingredients so that as it melts it does not dilute the punch with plain water. It can be decorated with slice fruit which then floats in the punch as the ice ring melts.
Allow at least 24 hours for the ice ring to completely freeze.
Ingredients:
Ring mold
Punch, prepared and chilled, enough to fill mold PLUS enough to fill punch bowl
Decorations: Berries, grapes, cranberries, lemon or orange slices etc.
Assembly:
Pour a small amount of chilled water or punch into the bottom of the pan to a depth of about 1/4″. Place the pan on a level surface in the freezer and allow water to set until slushy (NOT frozen solid). This doesn’t take long so check pan frequently. The water should just be slushy but firm enough to hold the decorations in place.
Remove pan from freezer. Working quickly so the water doesn’t melt, place fruit on top of the ice in a decorative fashion. You may need to do this in stages if the water begins to melt. When all the fruit is placed, quickly return pan to the freezer until water is completely frozen. If necessary, allow the water to melt slightly and reposition the fruit if it has moved; re-freeze. Meanwhile, keep the prepared punch chilled in the refrigerator.
Pour a small amount of chilled, prepared punch into the pan; return to freezer until frozen.
Repeat the above step until the fruit is completely covered with frozen punch.
Pour remaining chilled punch into the pan; return to freezer until completely frozen.
At serving time, dip pan into a bowl of lukewarm water for about 1 minute. Carefully turn out mold into empty punch bowl. Pour additional chilled punch into bowl.
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