Hawaiian Ice

Imagine that your child went outside and brought in a snowball and poured flavored syrup on it. That is essentially a Hawaiian ice: a refreshment consisting of ice that has been shaved so finely that it closely resembles snow. For that reason, Hawaiian ice is also referred to as "shave ice."

Hawaiian Ices are Not Snow Cones

While the difference between Hawaiian ice and snow cones is subtle, it causes a significant difference in not only the texture of the ice, but also the taste. Hawaiian ice machines shave the ice, in contrast to snow cone machines that grind it up. Consequently, Hawaiian ice is capable of absorbing flavored syrups, whereas syrup poured on a snow cone tends to settle beneath the ice and collect at the bottom of the container.

In preparing Hawaiian ice, it is important not to compress the shaved ice. Doing so results in denser ice, which does not allow the syrup to saturate the entire serving. If customers get half way through their purchase and see that there is no more syrup left, this is likely to have an adverse effect on the chance that they will return.

You don't need to go to Hawaii to enjoy Hawaiian ice, as some concession stands have machines to make it. If you own an ice cream or frozen yogurt store, adding another dessert such as Hawaiian ice can help increase your profits. The initial costs to purchase equipment are rather low in comparison to the high profit margins on each ice that is sold.