You probably already know what goes into a slushy. But you might not be sure how much sugar you need to get the ratios just right. Our expert Michał has undertaken the necessary research so you can prepare perfect slushies every time.
You probably already know what goes into a slushy. But you might not be sure how much sugar you need to get the ratios just right. Our expert Michał has undertaken the necessary research so you can prepare perfect slushies every time.
How sweet should a slushy be?
Slushies and granita are the talk of the town when summer rolls around. When the weather gets hot, even the smallest town has at least a few stalls selling these colourful, super-sweet ice drinks. Children go especially crazy for the neon red and blue thirst quenchers – to the horror of nutritionists, dentists, and health-conscious onlookers!
Therein lies the temptation to reduce the sugar content in the syrupy ice mix. For the Royal Catering slush machines available in the expondo online shop, the manufacturer specifies that the mixture must contain at least 13% sugar. But what if we play with the proportions a little? So begins the test. First, Michał switched on three containers, all using the same mode. Each contained the following sugar ratios:
- 5 % sugar in the first,
- 13 % sugar in the second
- up to 50 % in the third.
After an hour and a half, Michał received the following results:
- The 5% solution quickly clumped together and stuck to the machine’s drain tap, making it difficult to pour anything into the jar. Complete adhesion to the drain risks blockages that could damage the machine.
- The solution with 13 % sugar provided the perfect consistency. The result was a cool, pleasantly sweet, refreshing drink.
- The 50% solution did not freeze completely and remained fairly liquid. The flavour was also far too sweet.
As you can see, there’s no need to overdo it with the sugar. But is there another way to make slushy that little bit healthier? How about xylitol? We’ve checked it out for you.
What happens when you make slushy with xylitol or diet cola?
In the next test, the three containers included:
- Diet cola,
- a 13 % xylitol solution,
- classic cola.
Here’s what happened next:
Not only did diet cola fail to freeze, but the appliance also started to make suspicious noises. If you notice this happening, switch off the appliance immediately – we did exactly that. Xylitol led to a good consistency, but it tasted slightly different, more subtle a taste than achieved with normal sugar. Classic cola was the big hit. The resulting drink had both a perfect consistency and an appropriate sugar content.
Michał Orłowski – chef at renowned restaurants in Sydney and Warsaw. Experienced and professional restaurateur. Michał began his gastronomic journey as a teenager. He first discovered his passion for all things culinary while working as a barman over the summer. Over the years, he accumulated experience, deepened his knowledge, and honed his craft. In 2007, he travelled to Australia where he perfected his skills. Upon his return to Europe, he served as the head chef at the restaurant Lars, Lars & Lars in Poznań.
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