Grown Up Slushies Recipies

Don’t let the heat get you down

There are few things as refreshing as an ice-cold slush puppy and a half priced Ster Kinekor movie on a hot Tuesday afternoon during the December holidays.

If you were a wild child, you might have even convinced the snack kiosk auntie to give you a Cherry/Lime mix, making you feel like a true junk food connoisseur.

Big Surprise! Slushies aren’t just movie drinks…and they are not just for kids!

We have two amazing slushy recipes to try out and serve to your overaged guests this summer.

Masterpiece of a Margarita

For those who don’t know, the perfect margarita consists of a three, two, one blend.

• Three parts tequila.
• Two parts Triple Sec (sweetened orange liqueur)
• One part freshly squeezed lime juice.
• For the classic Marg: Shake this over ice and pour into salt rimmed glasses. Garnish with a twist of lime.

While few things in life are better than a well-made Marg, we have improved upon this recipe for our summer slushy soiree.

Start off with the above ratios, but also add the following to a high-powered blender:

• About 2 parts of finely crushed ice
• Zest and juice of two extra limes
• Half a part of simple syrup.

You will need very fine crushed ice, or shaved ice. You can make this by taking normal ice cubes, crushing them in your blender, spreading them out on a tray, re-freezing them and then crushing them again with your margarita mix.

Alternatively, you can pre-blend your entire margarita mix, re-freeze it, and allow the magic of alcohol that doesn’t freeze solid to keep your drink slushy.

Pour into glasses rimmed with a mix of coarse sea salt and lime jelly powder. (it is delicious, trust us!). Serve with a spoon and a straw.

Top Tip: Not all blenders are created equally and always check the specs or yours before blending something hard like ice.

If this seems, mmm, well a bit too much work for a small drink. Check-out how to make a Margarita Pitcher!

Our second slushy recipe still sticks with the light and fruity vibe of a summer drink.

Bloody good bellini

The classic fruit to use in a Bellini is fresh peaches.
While some bellinis are simply ice-cold glasses of prosecco, with a few slices of peach for flavour and garnish, we like a more involved bellini.

You will need:

• Enough bottles of crisp, dry prosecco to fill as many glasses as you want.
• Fresh peach pulp. You’ll need two tablespoons for each glass but keep one tablespoon separate for when you serve the drinks.
• Single shot of peach schnaps for each glass.

(While this isn’t part of the classic recipe, the high alcohol content of the schnaps will once again ensure that your slushy doesn’t freeze solid.)

• Fresh peach slices to garnish.

Mix everything together in a jug. Pour into ice trays and freeze.

To serve: Spoon one tablespoon of peach pulp into the bottom of each glass before adding your slushy mix.

Top tip: Make your own fresh peach pulp by slicing up fresh peaches and then blending them in a food processor. In a pinch you can use tinned peaches but be warned – the sugar syrup adds a “church bazaar” flavour so drain and rinse them before blending.

Whether you choose a Margarita or a Bellini, we have found that the easiest way to make your slushy is to pour your drink mix into ice-cube trays and freeze them. The cubes won’t be solid, but they will be easy to pop in a blender, give a blitz and enjoy as you sit around the pool or kampvuur.

Serve in tall glasses with straws and long spoons and watch your guests relive those magical movie memories.

Summers are also for eating a bit lighter, read our article on meatless meals.