Your favorite cool desserts for hot days

Ice cream cones, cakes, or sandwiches? No-bake cheesecakes, brownies, or bars? Popsicles of any kind? We shared a little list of desserts that will keep your kitchen cool: https://food52.com/blog.... And we'd love to know: What are the refreshing desserts you turn to?

Emily Kochman
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8 Comments

702551 June 18, 2021
I'm a fan of both ice creams and sorbets, the latter are especially good in the summer with seasonal fruit (stone fruit, berries, melons).

When I was a kid, I enjoyed shave ice as well. It's not particularly popular in most of the USA, but it's a favorite in Hawaii and southeast Asia.

As an adult I'm a big fan of the coffee-ice cream combo. The aforementioned affogato is good but perhaps even better is eiskaffee which is popular in German-speaking countries.

I'm also one who always considers fresh fruit as an excellent choice for dessert.
 
Emily K. June 23, 2021
All things we love! Thanks, 702551.
 
drbabs June 18, 2021
Ice box cakes! I made this one for aargersi's birthday a few years ago. https://food52.com/recipes/29391-gingersnap-icebox-cake-for-abbie-s-birthday
I also love the old school one with Nabisco chocolate wafers and whipped cream. I even put maraschino cherries on top.
 
Emily K. June 23, 2021
Love this cake and the story behind it :).
 
HalfPint June 18, 2021
Frozen grapes

I just made chocolate avocado ice cream, too. No-churn and vegan, but still delicious and cooling :)
 
Emily K. June 23, 2021
So refreshing! Thanks for these suggestions.
 
AntoniaJames June 18, 2021
* Homemade ice cream, especially no-churn recipes that involve no custard cooked on the stove!

These are my favorites -- both are Genius Recipes, for reasons that will become immediately apparent if you try them:

Dori Sanders’ No-Churn Fresh Lemon Ice Cream

https://food52.com/recipes/77250-dori-sanders-no-churn-fresh-lemon-ice-cream

Nigella Lawson’s No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream

https://food52.com/recipes/30285-nigella-lawson-s-one-step-no-churn-coffee-ice-cream

I haven’t made it yet, but you can be sure that I’ll be trying this new no-churn ice cream soon:

No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream

https://food52.com/recipes/85758-best-butter-pecan-ice-cream-recipe

And, moving on:

* Homemade maple and vanilla Greek yogurt over fresh strawberries, topped with a few toasted pecan pieces - just a touch of yogurt, with the strawberries cut and sprinkled with a touch of sugar to macerate them, ideally done a few hours in advance. Chill everything well!

* Affogato (ice cream with coffee drizzled over it https://food52.com/recipes/11636-affogato

I go off-piste with this, using the coffee ice cream linked above, with rum. Vanilla ice cream or a dark chocolate ice cream with espresso (or coffee liqueur!) also never fail to please.

* Frozen yogurt made with my homemade Greek yogurt, plenty of best-quality vanilla extract (I really push the boat out for this) and fresh strawberries, plus some dried strawberries, crushed, for extra flavor.
 
Emily K. June 23, 2021
Such great no-churn ice cream recipes! Love these ideas, too.
 
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