Step 1

Fill the small cooler with 4 to 5 inches of warm tap water (making sure it is not hot). Place the cooler in the freezer with the lid off. Freeze for 18 to 24 hours until several inches have frozen. You’ll want to still have some water left under the ice (this prevents the ice from getting cloudy).

Step 2

Place the cooler upside down in the sink for 5 to 10 minutes. Then gently shake the ice block out (or it may fall out on its own).

Step 3

Place the ice block on a cutting board. Then use a serrated knife to cut the ice into the desired size of chunks by doing the following: Hold the ice with a towel or oven mitt and lightly score the top with the knife until a strip of the ice snaps off. Then cut that strip into cubes.

Step 4

If you’d like, you can use an ice pick to hone the final shape (see the section above).

Step 5

Store the ice in the freezer in a closed container. Before using the ice in a drink, allow the ice cube to sit at room temperature to temper it for 2 minutes to prevent cracking. Tempering the ice also allows the outer layer (and any freezer burn) to melt off of the ice.