Getting ice cubes to pop right out of trays isn't always as easy as it sounds.
Ice cubes are an essential during the hot summer months. Floating a few ice cubes in a drink can bring cool relief and make sipping on iced tea even more refreshing. Whether ice cubes are made out of water or another juice, they sometimes stick to lining of trays, making removal difficult. Using a few kitchen tricks and tips can help ensure your ice cubes all pop out in solid pieces.
Traditional Trays
When using traditional ice cube trays -- those that have two rows of cubed shaped pockets for filling with liquid -- removal is somewhat easier. Try to twist the tray itself by placing one hand on each end and rotating your hands in opposite directions to pop out the cubes. If the cubes are stuck, dip the bottom portion only of the tray into a bath of hot water to help loosen the ice cubes.
Fruit Juice Ice Cubes
Not all ice cubes have to be made out of water. When making cubes out of fruit juices that have a similar consistency of water, you should be able to twist and tap the tray to remove the cubes. If they stick, you can also try the hot water bath trick for removal. One other option is to let the tray sit out at room temperature until you see condensation forming on the outside of the tray or on top of the cubes, which signifies the ice has warmed slightly. Once the temperature has raised, the cubes should pop out easily.
Shaped Cube Trays
Beyond traditional ice cube trays, you can use trays made out of different shapes. To help make cube removal easier when using such trays, opt for trays made out of a pliable silicone material. This will allow you to peel back the tray from the cube for easy and quick removal.
All Types of Trays
When making ice cubes out of sweet and sticky or thick and gooey liquid, such as fruit smoothies or sweetened iced tea, you should use larger trays and line the trays before putting in the liquid. Using a heavy duty plastic wrap, push the wrap into the holes and pockets where the liquid goes. Make sure to leave excess plastic wrap hanging off the sides of the tray or mold. Once the frozen solid, lift up by the extra plastic wrap to pop the cubes out.
Tray Positioning
One way to avoid stuck ice cubes in the first place, when using traditional trays with rows, is to not pile the trays on top of one another. When the trays are stacked up, the bottom of one tray will stick to the top of the cubes in the tray underneath. This just creates a tower of stuck-together trays and cubes. If that happens, allow the stack to sit out on a counter to begin the thawing process so you can separate the trays.
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