Homemade Strawberry Slush with the Ninja Slushi

Forget fruit purees blended with ice cubes that melt in five minutes: the machine allows you to freeze the mixture while keeping a concentrated flavor. With my old blender, ice cubes always diluted the taste of the strawberries; the machine allows you to frost the pure fruit. You get a refreshing drink with a very fruity scent, without that standing water effect at the bottom of the glass. The texture remains fluid and melting, ideal for sipping through a straw on the terrace.

Homemade Strawberry Slush with the Ninja Slushi

Recipe by Camille Roos

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Slush / granitaCuisine: Difficulty: Easy

Servings

4

people

Prep

5

minutes

Freeze time

45

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

A simple recipe to get an intense-tasting frozen strawberry drink, without using ice cubes.

Ingredients

• 500 g strawberries (fresh or thawed frozen)

• 350 ml water (or sparkling water)

• 80 g granulated sugar (or strawberry syrup)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

• Hull the strawberries and blend them with the water, sugar, and lemon juice until you get a smooth liquid. Sugar is essential: without it, the strawberry puree will freeze into a solid block of ice.
• If you want a drink without pulp or seeds, pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the tank (respecting the min and max marks).
• Select the Slush program and let the machine work. Allow about 45 minutes depending on the initial temperature of the ingredients to obtain a drink that is straw-ready.

Sparkling Strawberry-Ginger

Sparkling Strawberry-Ginger : Replace the still water with lemonade, halve the sugar dose, and add a small piece of fresh ginger during blending.

The secret to a consistency that lasts

To succeed with your fruit preparations, you must keep in mind the famous antifreeze rule. It is the sugar that prevents the liquid from freezing into a rock-hard block. In this recipe, I aim for about 10 to 12% sugar in the total mixture. If you use very sweet end-of-season strawberries, you can slightly reduce the dose, but never remove it completely. This is the major difference with a simple smoothie put in the freezer. When in doubt, taste your liquid before pouring it into the tank: it should seem distinctly sweet at room temperature. The cold numbs the taste buds a bit, so the final result will be perfectly balanced.

What to do if the mixture doesn’t set or becomes too hard?

If you notice that the rotation is struggling or that lights are flashing on your appliance, it’s almost always a sign of a liquid that isn’t sweet enough starting to freeze around the auger. In this case, don’t wait: stop the cycle, add a splash of strawberry syrup or liquid cane sugar, let it melt for a moment, and restart. Conversely, if your drink remains desperately liquid after 45 minutes, it means your base is too rich in sugar. You can then thin it out with a little water. Also note that the setting time varies greatly depending on the room heat and your ingredients. I’ve gotten into the habit of using strawberries previously placed in the refrigerator or thawed frozen fruit that is still very cold to speed up the process. Feel free to check out other variations like the strawberry mint granita recipe to vary the pleasures.

Do you prefer using fresh strawberries in season or frozen fruit to make it all year round?

Frequently asked questions

Why is my machine beeping during preparation?

This is a sign that the liquid is becoming too hard for the blade, often due to a lack of sugar. Add a little strawberry syrup to restore the balance and restart the cycle.

Can frozen strawberries be put directly into the tank?

No, it is essential to thaw them and blend them with the other liquids in a blender before filling the bowl of your appliance.

Is the 45-minute time guaranteed?

It depends on the starting temperature. Ingredients coming out of the refrigerator will take less time than room temperature water.