It is not at all complicated to prepare your own shisha. Simply mix the tobacco with flavorings, honey or molasses, glycerin and fruit such as apples to make a great homemade blend to smoke. To make an apple tobacco, you must first wash the tobacco itself and combine it with honey or molasses, then prepare the fruit and finally all you have to do is combine all the ingredients.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making the Tobacco
Step 1. Break up the tobacco
The first thing you need to do when you want to get apple shisha is make the tobacco by breaking it into strips.
- Tobacco is used both for smoking and as an aggregator of the mixture.
- American Spirit Loose Tobacco is perfect for this, but you can of course use whichever product you like, as long as it's loose leaves and tastes you like. You can also opt for cheaper tobaccos, such as Drum. You can also use pipe ones to get a more intense smoke flavor, but be aware that they are also more tart.
- Before making it, make sure the tobacco is dry. If it is humid, expose it to fresh air and wait for it to dry for a few hours or overnight.
- Once dry, break it into large pieces inside a Tupperware-type container. You need to remove any veins on large leaves; afterwards, chop the whole leaves with a knife.
Step 2. Soak them
When the leaves have been broken and chopped into small pieces, you need to soak them.
- In this way, they become malleable and at the same time eliminate some of the nicotine and the more tart aromas.
- The longer the soaking time, the less strong the tobacco flavor will be; by doing so, you will be able to better appreciate that of the apple.
- Pour cold water into the container. Use enough to squeeze the tobacco below the water level. Make a mush so that the tobacco soaks well and let it sit for 30 minutes. If you wait more than half an hour, remember to change the water, which turns brown due to the substances released, such as nicotine.
- Alternatively, boil the tobacco and then rinse it several times in cold water.
Step 3. Add honey or molasses
After allowing the tobacco to soak for the desired time, strain it to remove the liquid. Wait for it to dry a bit and then add the honey or molasses.
- Before proceeding, however, wait until the tobacco has dried slightly. Shape it into a ball and squeeze it to remove excess moisture, just like you would a soaked rag.
- Honey and molasses are quite similar substances, but they allow you to achieve slightly different results. In fact, honey does not give a flavor as intense as that of molasses.
- Regardless of your preferences, you should use products that are not too expensive. If you've opted for molasses, make sure it doesn't contain sulfur derivatives. If you have chosen honey instead, get a cheap brand, as most of the flavor will be lost during processing.
- It is easier to use raw ingredients that can be spooned into tobacco. The ratio of honey (or molasses) to tobacco must be 1: 3; for three grams of tobacco use one gram of honey. However, the final amount depends on your taste.
Step 4. You can add a little water to better mix the various ingredients
It is advisable to slightly dilute the honey or molasses, so as to be able to work the mixture better with your hands.
- If you wish, you can also buy oils to add flavor to the shisha. There are oils with an intense fruity flavor, but make sure they are always of high quality. Although they are called aromatic oils, be aware that they are not actually oily substances, otherwise the various ingredients would separate.
- Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and sticky. Keep adding honey or molasses until it has the consistency of commercial shisha.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Apples
Step 1. Cut the fruit into four pieces and remove the core from each wedge
Before blending and adding apples to tobacco, you need to remove seeds and core.
- You can prepare apples while letting the tobacco soak.
- Cut it into four parts and be sure to completely remove the hard core, seeds, and stem.
Step 2. Put the apple pieces in a food processor or cut them finely
Be careful not to create evenly sized pieces.
A food processor allows you to get the right consistency, a cross between puree and chopped fruit
Step 3. Briefly heat the apples in a saucepan to remove excess moisture
Let them simmer over medium-low heat.
- The cooking process allows to eliminate part of the liquids. It is preferable, in fact, to have apples with little water, otherwise the shisha will burn with difficulty.
- However, cooking times are subjective. You don't have to burn the fruit, so check it carefully.
Step 4. Wait for the mixture to cool and add the glycerin
Glycerol is an organic compound that is found on the market in the form of a derivative and under the name of glycerin. Its job is to absorb the water from the other ingredients.
- Glycerin allows the apple blend to incorporate and unite with that of the tobacco; It also reduces the chances of the shisha burning quickly and unevenly.
- Glycerin also increases smoke production, as it creates white clouds when it reaches the gaseous state.
- Although it can form smoke, add some sugary flavor and act as a preservative, remember that it is not essential for the mixture. However, many manufacturers use it to ensure shisha lasts longer and has a better texture.
- We recommend using vegetable glycerin or specific for shisha.
Part 3 of 3: Bake the Shisha
Step 1. Add the apples to the tobacco mixture
When the puree has cooled, add it to the tobacco and honey (or molasses).
- You will need to use a fork or your hands to work the ingredients and get a homogeneous mixture.
- If you feel like the shisha is dry, add a little more honey, molasses, or glycerin. You need to get a sticky and moist consistency.
- Once all the ingredients are mixed, shape them into a ball. Take a piece of foil large enough to cover and wrap the ball. Place the shisha in the center of the sheet and shape it into a solid and compact dough. Then, wrap it with the aluminum foil; by doing so, the juices will remain inside during cooking.
Step 2. Bake the mixture in the oven
Place the foil-wrapped package in a baking dish or baking pan to collect the juices if they come out of the foil. Finally, bake the mixture.
- You must set the appliance to the lowest possible temperature. Generally, it is recommended not to exceed 80-82 ° C. If your model can't be set below 90 ° C, that's no problem; just remember to monitor the process carefully.
- If your oven cannot go down to 80 ° C, open the door from time to time to reduce the internal heat.
- Cook the shisha for about 45 minutes and up to an hour. In this way, the juices spread and mix throughout the dough.
Step 3. Add more flavorings
When the mixture is cooked, the honey and molasses liquefy. However, you can add more if you feel the tobacco is a bit dry.
- Before adding any more flavorings, check that the mixture is cold while still wrapped in foil.
- You can experiment with other flavors, such as vanilla, if you wish.
- Depending on the texture and flavor you prefer, you can add other ingredients. If you feel that the cooking process has caused the taste of the apples to fade, you can add the flavoring to the tobacco later.
- Additionally, some people prefer to incorporate glycerin and flavorings only after baking.
Step 4. Keep the mixture overnight
Once cooked, cooled and enriched with other flavors and ingredients, the shisha can be put away.
Put it in an airtight container and in the refrigerator. Let it sit overnight or longer to allow all the ingredients to combine evenly. When the mixture is really ready and all the flavors are mixed, you will be able to enjoy the minutes you will spend smoking to the fullest
Step 5. Check the blend and enjoy it
After letting it rest and mature for at least one night, remove it from the container and check its consistency. If you are satisfied with the result, you can put it on the brazier and enjoy it.
After letting it rest, check that the mixture is not too dry. If you've added enough honey, molasses, and glycerin, it should store well, but if it feels dry, pour in another small amount of these ingredients, mix carefully, and smoke the shisha
Ingrediants
- American Spirit natural loose tobacco (equal to 80% of the weight of the compound)
- Apples (equal to 20% of the weight of the compound)
- Molasses (clear or light)
- Vegetable glycerin that can be ingested
Advice
- Pipe tobacco tends to have a stronger, harsher flavor than cigarettes.
- If the shisha is too dry, add more molasses or honey to moisten it.
- It is entirely optional to cook the apples before cutting them and putting them in the food processor. It is a matter of personal preference and the desired level of humidity.
