A portable apparatus for rapidly freezing a freezable liquid to form at least one frozen object includes a fluid intake in which the freezable liquid is introduced and a freeze chamber that receives the freezable liquid from the fluid intake. The freeze chamber includes a freeze block that includes at least one cell in which the at least one frozen object is formed. A cooling system circulates refrigerant to the freeze block to facilitate cooling of the freeze block. The freeze block is formed of a heat transfer material such that heat from the freezable liquid added to the at least one cell is transferred to the freeze block whereupon said heat is transferred to the refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil of the freeze block, thereby resulting in cooling of the freeze block. The freeze block is configured and the refrigerant is selected such that the freeze chamber is maintained at a temperature of below 0° F. and preferably below at least about −10.0° F. or −20° F.