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RACHAEL RAY turned Bryant Park’s ice skating rink into an outdoor TV studio to tape an episode of her daytime talk show. And a special, on ice at the winter wonderland cooked up by talk show host Rachael Ray that will warm the hearts of viewers like a warm cup of cocoa or hot apple cider is served at the rink’s lounge, Celsius at 30th, January.

As today, as a kickoff to Sweeps, the show aired a exciting episode called, “Rachael Ray on Ice,” taped entirely from The Pond at Bryant Park Ice Skating Rink in New York City. This winterized event comes complete with Rachael on skates, a kitchen and set sculpted out of ice, arctic animals and special guests Denis Leary, New York Rangers legend Adam Graves, and Olympic Figure Skater Emily Hughes!

“Honey, want to show them our one trick?” Ray asked husband John Cusimano, who was ready and waiting in the audience with skates on.

The two held hands and circled around each other, then Cusimano led Ray to her custom-made ice cook top, so the show could get underway. (Ray does glide over the ice on skates for a bit during the show.)

Guests for the day included “Rescue Me’s” Denis Leary, Olympic figure skater Emily Hughes and Chad Netherland, who holds a Guinness World Record for breaking the most blocks of ice with one hand in 60 seconds.

For his segment, Leary got to shoot hockey pucks into a goal for $1,000 a pop. Proceeds were donated to his charity, Leary Firefighters Foundation, on behalf of Ray’s sponsor for the day, Sara Lee. Ray later said she’d match the winning amount.

“I just got $20,000 for doing nothing,” Leary told reporters after scoring 10 goals. “I asked Rachael, but I’m not sure anyone’s certain that this is truly the first talk show on ice. I would be suspicious that they didn’t check to see if there’s been one in Iceland.”

Hundreds of fans were huddled around the rink, some of whom had waited hours to get tickets for the show.

“We waited for three hours, they finally ushered us in, and now we can’t see anything!” said Paula Horne, 32, from New Jersey. She was stuck in a crowd about 10 people back from the ice with her friends. “Everyone else got a bagel and we didn’t get anything. At least we get to see each other, because we sure aren’t going to see the show from here.”

“My mom came to visit and we were walking around yesterday and saw that Rachael Ray would be here, so here we are,” said Jacqueline D’Aloia, 28, of Saratoga, N.Y. “We’re big fans and from the same area as Rachael’s hometown.”

After three hours of shooting in the cold, Ray wrapped things up by serving the audience potato soup and hot chocolate.

“It was a blast,” said Ray. “It was great. I love Denis so much and the little penguins [who were brought on the show by an animal expert from Sea World]. And cooking on ice and just the whole set was amazing.”

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