Chill with an icy treat
Stay cool this summer with these quick and easy icy delights that the whole family will enjoy, writes Bernadette Hogg.
Deluxe chocolatecoated cones
For a special treat, serve scoops of homemade or bought gourmet icecream in decadent chocolatedipped cones. Melt white chocolate buttons or melts (150g is enough to coat 10 cones) and use a small pastry brush to coat the inside of waffle cones with the chocolate. Dip the cone tops into the melted chocolate and invert so it dribbles down the cone. Wait until the chocolate has hardened before filling the cones. Coated cones will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.
Coconut water and fresh fruit
These make wonderful, healthy after-school or post-exercise treats, and will keep covered in the freezer for up to two weeks. Fill plastic iceblock moulds generously with a selection of chopped, fresh seasonal fruit. Push an iceblock stick into each mould – the fruit will hold them in place – and fill with coconut water. Place in the freezer until solid.
Champagne and strawberry spiders
The favourite childhood combo of fizz and icecream gets a delectable update for adult entertaining. In tall glasses, layer sliced strawberries with scoops of strawberry ripple icecream, drizzling a little strawberry-flavoured icecream syrup between each layer. Top up each glass with your favourite pink bubbles and serve immediately with tall spoons.
Lucky dip
This is a great idea for a simple but stunning summer dessert, and is ideal for a barbecue or casual dinner. Fill a large crystal or glass bowl with crushed ice, place a selection of colourful store-bought iceblocks into the ice and place in the centre of the table.
Lemon meringue icecream pies
This clever twist on an icecream sandwich turns a few ingredients into an elegant and delicious dessert. Using your favourite meringue recipe, bake even numbers of meringue rounds (about 9cm in diameter). Place one round on a serving plate as a base, scatter over crushed gingernut biscuits, top with a large scoop of vanilla icecream and a good dollop of lemon curd, before topping with another meringue round. Serve immediately.
Icecream chocolate sponge roll
Soften a litre of icecream just enough to roll and mould it into a sausage shape that is the same width as a store-bought chocolate sponge roll. You could jazz it up by folding in chopped cherries and pistachios. Wrap the icecream in plastic and return to the freezer until very firm, then unwrap and place on top of the sponge, folding the sponge around. Trim the ends. Wrap the whole sponge roll in baking paper and return to the freezer for at least an hour or until ready to serve. Dust with icing sugar and freeze-dried raspberry powder just before serving.