Just because it's summer and we don't feel like turning on the oven doesn't mean we have to deprive our sweet tooth! Here are some of our favorite desserts for this time of year, ranging from quick whip-up desserts to stove-top classics. What are yours?
Quick Desserts
• Strawberries, Sour Cream and Brown Sugar - If strawberry season has ended where you live, other seasonal fruits like peaches, blue berries, and pears are equally good!
• Ice Cold Watermelon - A light sprinkling of sugar, lemon zest, and fresh mint make watermelon even better.
• Beer Floats - Just grab your favorite chocolate stout and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
• Eton Mess - Fresh fruit + whipped cream + meringue = yum
Cool Desserts
• Cantaloupe Granita - You can also make granitas with just about any other fruit you can find!
• Strawberry-Yogurt Popsicles - These are also good with any other fresh fruit
• Spiced Apple Cider Sorbet - We should start to see early-season apples at the markets in the next few weeks!
• Sour Cherry Almond Ice Cream with Chocolate Chunks - This one has particular appeal to us right now, but check out our archive for tons more ice cream recipes!
Stove-Top Desserts
• Poached Plums with Brown Sugar Syrup - This is an especially good dessert if you find yourself stuck with any under-ripe plums, peaches, or nectarines.
• Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream - Grilling fruit on the stovetop or over an outdoor grill caramelizes the outside and adds a hint of smokiness.
• Crepes filled with Fresh Fruit - The fruit can be fresh or slightly .softened in butter before serving.
• Spicy Boozey Chocolate Mousse - We saved the best for last. Chocolate mousse is the ultimate in no-bake decadence!
Your turn! What are your favorite summer desserts?
Related: Roundup: Chilled Summer Soups Other Than Gazpacho
(Images: Kathryn Hill, Faith Durand, Elizabeth Passarella and Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan for the Kitchn)
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strawberries, sour cream and brown sugar is one of my absolute favorite desserts. it doesn't sound that good but the taste is positively decadent.
Oh wow, yum.
My favorite is probably ice cream, but since we don't have an ice cream maker, we have to go buy it. Woe, woe I tell you. ;)
BTW, I think there was a cut-and-paste accident here:
The fruit can be freshly slightly or softened in butter before serving
Should that be "fresh or slightly softened in butter"?
Cube seedless or deseeded watermelon. Put in relatively flattened ziploc in freezer with some sugar. Remove when frozen; put in blender. Eat immediately. If you want to add something like rum, go ahead, I'm not going to stop you.
@sciencegeek, LOL!
@Elizabeth - Thanks!
@sciencegeek - I kind of like the idea of leaving the watermelon in frozen cubes, too! And then maybe used as ice cubes in a cocktail? Mmm....
Ice cream, including mochi ice cream (perfect snack size, less mess, awesome red bean flavor). Momiji manjuu (those red bean filled, maple leaf shaped mini-cakes) are also really nice when you keep them frozen, defrost a bit and eat while still cool. Plain, cold grapes or most other fruit. Strawberries and cream, with a just a little bit of sugar. Milkshakes/floats/malts of all kinds, but especially a root beer float or purple cow. And custard or panna cotta. And peach dumplings.
And...I just can't stand to have one favorite anything, can I?
I think that frozen watermelon "ice" cubes sound nice but would be unpleasantly flaccid when they inevitably thaw.
The reason behind my rum comment: I don't like rum drinks but my ex loved this watermelon slush with a bit of rum. It also brightens up with a squeeze of lemon but it won't kill it if you leave it out.
Things that are awesome frozen but you might not think of them: TastyKakes jelly krimpets. Not healthy, not natural, just awesome.