Who is thinking about New Year’s Eve and how you will ring in the new year? Our family doesn’t really have any traditions, but we do try to do something fun…be it watch a silly movie together, do a family countdown, make a special treat, or have a family “cheers.” This year isn’t going to be different in that aspect; we plan on drinking New Year’s Eve mocktails with “ball drop” ice molds using Tovolo Ice Molds.
Thank you to Spectrum Diversified Products and Tovolo for sponsoring this post, New Year’s Eve Mocktail with “Ball Drop” Ice Recipe. All thoughts are my own.
Spectrum Diversified Products develops fashionable, functional, cost-effective products that fulfill many consumers’ needs around the home. Their products can help you with storage, organization, entertainment, cooking, and more. One of their most unique brands is Tovolo and their Craft Ice product line which I use for this post. Tovolo has an huge assortment of Craft Ice molds as you can see on their website. Some novelty molds include a golf ball, bulldog, mustache, rose, skulls and tiki molds. They also have the classic sphere ice mold and larger King Cube™ mold.
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Use code TOVOLOICE to receive free shipping on orders of $10 or more! This code is exclusive to here, so make sure you grab it and use it!
Start with the Golf Ball Ice Mold
When we received the Tovolo Golf Ball Ice Mold, it immediately made us think of a New Year’s Eve ball drop. So, taking that idea and running with it, the New Year’s Eve mocktail with “ball drop” was born.
The mold comes in two pieces. A harder bottom piece and a softer silicon top piece.
The directions show that you should fill the mold to the “fill to this line,” so that’s what we did.
However, instead of filling the mold with water, we decided to fill it with 100% cranberry juice. This way, the drink will have some color and flavor in an unexpected way.
(We also experimented with grape juice, low calorie cranberry juice and apple juice.) Yes, once a scientist, always a scientist.
Then it was off to the freezer for at least 6 hours for the cubes to form.
As you can see, we also did some sphere ice molds, tiki ice molds and Wide Mouth Bottle Ice Molds (also called highball molds).
It’s time to see the ice
After at least 6 hours in the freezer, we removed the ice molds and brought them to the kitchen sink. All of the molds except the tikis said to run the molds under water for about 30 seconds to remove the ice from the mold. The tiki just had to be slowly removed from the silicon by inverting it.
Look at those tiki teeth!
The tiki faces were fun and expressive right out of the molds. I love how you can see the detail in their different faces. The tiki was a sneaker ice that caught you by surprise. At first it seemed like a traditional ice cube, maybe a little bigger, and then you see its face and teeth!
The spheres were kind of amazing. It reminded me of these glass balls photographers use to take fun pictures, so I decided to give it a whirl. The amazing thing about larger sphere ice molds is that they expose less surface area than your traditional cube – resulting in the sphere to melt slower, making your drink taste better since it’s not being diluted. Also, spheres just look so cool in your drinks! In the picture, you can even see my fence through the sphere, so it came out really well. The neat thing is that it wasn’t melting in my hand (even with 80*F weather and 100% humidity!).
New Year’s Eve Mocktail with “Ball Drop” Ice
Once the ice was made and removed, they were placed into the glasses. You can see a variety of ice fills to create different drink options. No matter what the ice was made with, we topped them with a small amount of juice like pear, apple or white grape followed by some sparkling water.
The result is a beautiful mocktail with what looks like a New Year’s Eve “Ball Drop” right in the middle.
The other molds resulted in equally nice beverages. In fact, for some of the glasses, we just added sparkling or still water. Things don’t always have to be fancy to be fun.
The Wide Mouth Bottle Ice Molds (also called highball) ice mold made a fun ice for a taller drink glass. While the sphere and golf ball fit into shorter glasses.
Say “Cheers”
Once each person picked their ice and drink flavor, each girl got their glass. Before they enjoyed it, it was time to say “cheers,” lightly tap their glasses and enjoy.
Happily, everybody enjoyed their mocktail and nobody spilled! They even asked for them the next day. It’s definitely a fun gift that could easily be a stocking stuffer and would result in a fun mocktail or cocktail for the New Year!
A Little About Tovolo Molds
You might find it interesting to know that Tovolo ice molds, especially the sphere-shaped ice will keep drinks, mocktails and cocktails colder longer. This is because the spherical shape has a smaller surface area than a traditional cube, thus less is exposed to a warm liquid – resulting in it melting slower and cooling your drink at a steady rate, so you can enjoy it longer without water dilution.
The ice molds will add a fresher taste and sophisticated look and finish to sipping drinks like bourbon, whiskey, and gin. But, like here, you can use them in mocktails, milk/cream cocktails, iced coffee, and party punch. Tovolo’s plastic ice molds have benefits that silicone molds do not: the ice holds its shape better, the mold does not retain odors or freezer burn smell from repeated use. Because the molds can be stored vertically in the freezer it prevents water from spilling out when placing it in the freezer.
In addition to drinks, you can use the molds for other treats such as ice lollipops and ice balls for chilled coffee. You can even use the Perfect Cube™ or King Cube™ ice mold to preserve herbs with a little olive oil.
What you see here is hardly inclusive of the full line of Tovolo ice molds. You can also purchase a bulldog, anchor, mustache, heart swizzle sticks for Valentine’s Day, or Skull as well as your classic sphere, Perfect Cube™, and King Cube™ ice mold.
Reminder: Free Shipping Exclusive Code:
Use code TOVOLOICE to receive free shipping on orders of $10 or more! This code is exclusive to here, so make sure you grab it and use it!
Ready to shop?
If cold, everlasting drinks weren’t enough, Tovolo has many products to help you in the kitchen this holiday season. Many affordable baking items are available your seasonal needs: spatulas, whisks, baking sheets, cookie cutters, cupcake scoops, mixing bowls, and more. Check out their website for more information.
Fill Golf Ball Shaped Ice mold (or other spherical shaped mold) with darker colored juice like grape juice or cranberry juice. Fill to the "fill line" and place the silicon lid on top.
Place ice molds in freezer for at least 6 hours, until frozen.
Once frozen, remove the ice mold from the freezer.
Run ice mold under water for approximately 30 seconds to release the ice from the mold.
Remove the silicon lid (or follow directions from your ice molds) and flip the mold over.
Gently squeeze the sides of the mold to release the ice cube.
Place ice cube into desired glass.
Fill glass 1/4-1/2 full with clear/clearer juice (like apple juice, white grape juice or white cranberry juice) and top the beverage with sparkling water.
Cheers and enjoy!
Notes
If you'd like to make this drink with alcohol, add 1oz of vodka to the glass after the ice has been added.
Hold the juice and just do soda and vodka as well.
You can also garnish with fresh cranberries or lime.
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OMGEEE tiki ice?????? You didn’t tell me about that one. I need it!
When I saw the tiki ones I totally thought of you!!
I like the groovy pop mold set.
I like the groovy pop mold
I like their Vintage LivingÓ Wall Mount Basket.
The water bottle ice is awesome!! So is the sphere. I am sure somehow I would mess it up the first time.
The groovy pop mild set is just awesome
I love the mustache ones. My kids would have fun with those. I love this mocktail for kids Noon Year’s Eve!
The Tiki ice is so cute!
I like their Mini Sweet Treats Tubs (Set of 4) set. They have fun products!
I also love the Bulldog Ice Molds. Very very cool
The gem Pop molds are super cute!
I like the skull ice molds. These would be great for Halloween.
I like the water bottle ice mold
I really like the dino pop mold set.
I like the Tiki Ice .
I’m loving the skull and bulldog molds! I don’t know which one is my most favorite.
I also love their Vintage LivingÓ Fruit Tree :). Its really what i need for my counters atm. <3 Thanks for the chance!
I like the Groovy Pop Mold (Set of 6).
I like the bulldog molds
I really love the anchor mold
https://www.spectrumdiversified.com/products/anchor-ice-molds-set-of-2
I like the myBella Large Over the Cabinet Tiered Hair Dryer & Accessory Holder.
I like the water bottle ice molds. I would love to put ice in my reusable water bottle.
The Vintage LivingÓ Extra Large Cabinet & Wall Mount Basket is so cute!
Oh my gosh the tiki molds are great!
The Skull Ice Molds caught my eye, because they are unique and they would definitely be good for Halloween.
I like the Gem Pop Mold (Set of 5).
I could really use the Comfort Grip Citrus Knife.