Image source: Pixabay
As summer comes, with barbecues, vacations, and the hot sun, it’s best to come up with some new ways to keep cool. And to properly celebrate summer, what better way to keep cool then with some refreshing desserts? Here are six of the best frozen treats to keep cool this summer.
Homemade Snow Cones
Image Source: nuggetmarket.com
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 package of unsweetened drink mix (Kool-Aid or another brand). Or you can use ½ teaspoon (or more depending on how strong you like it) of your favorite extract.
- Ice
In a medium saucepan, boil together the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the flavored drink mix. Allow it to cool completely. For the snowy base, you may believe you need a fancy shaved ice machine, but in fact, putting ice cubes in a blender will provide a crunchier, more snow-like mixture. Ice cubes should be easy enough to find you can even have a portable machine. It’s truly amazing – it makes one wonder how do ice machines work? They work through a cycle of condensation and evaporation of a refrigerant and provide us with cold ice even in the heat of summer.
Once you have blended your ice, simply pour the mixture over the top and enjoy!
Strawberry Greek Yogurt Popsicles
Image Source: funandfoodcafe.com
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sliced strawberries (10 ounces)
- 3 Tbsp. agave nectar or another sweetener
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
Spry Living came up with this delicious and nutritious treat. Simply mix the yogurt and a tablespoon of the sweetener. Puree the strawberries and remaining sweetener. Then spoon the mixtures into popsicle molds, and freeze until solid. Enjoy when completely hardened.
Watermelon Popsicles
Image source: Cooking Classy
Ingredients:
- 19 oz. cubed seedless watermelon (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 5 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well shaken
- 13 oz. kiwi (about 6 medium)
- 1 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
These adorable treats are perfect for a birthday, and the full recipe can be found on Cooking Classy. There are three layers to each popsicle. For the pink, fruity part, blend the watermelon, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the lemon juice until pureed. Carefully pour this mixture into 10 popsicle molds, and add chocolate chips. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze. For the second layer, whisk the coconut milk together with 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar. Chill this mixture. Pour a tablespoon of the coconut milk mixture into each popsicle mold, clean the sides, and freeze.
The third layer requires the kiwis. Blend the flesh of the kiwis with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until pureed. Strain to remove seeds, and chill for 30 minutes. Pour 1 tablespoon of the kiwi mix over the coconut layer of the popsicles, and freeze for another 2-3 hours.
Eggnog Ice Cream
Image source: Serious Eats
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Eggnog
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
This easy soft-serve ice cream can be prepared in just five minutes. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Freeze it in any ice cream maker, according to the instructions. You should be able to eat it immediately, as a soft serve, but if you want a firmer treat, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in any lidded container. The ice cream should take about four hours to firm up. Once it’s done, have your taste of Christmas in this delightful, summer-y form.
Frozen Coffee Crunch
Image source: MyRecipes
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. hot water
- 2 Tbsp. instant coffee crystals
- 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. quart vanilla light ice cream
- 8 chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped
- Whipped cream
- Maraschino cherries (optional)
This easy recipe is perfect for the coffee lover in your life. The full recipe can be found on MyRecipes, but the process is fairly simple: dissolve the coffee, mix with the ice cream and cookies, and freeze. The whipped cream and cherries can be used to garnish if you desire.
Fruit Sorbets
Image source: Pexels
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds fresh fruit (4 to 5 cups after prepping and slicing)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 to 4 Tbsp lemon juice
Desserts are wonderful, but to add a healthier spin to your desserts, try these refreshing fruit sorbets. If you want to look at even healthier dessert options, try Cake Journal’s Vegan Coconut Ice Cream With A Vanilla Twist.
First, slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Then simmer the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, and allow to cool. Combine ½ cup of the resulting syrup with the fruit, and blend until liquefied. Strain this mixture to remove any seeds. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add more if the resulting base remains too sweet or bland. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or even overnight. Pour the chilled sorbet base into an ice cream machine and churn for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the sorbet to pint containers, cover, and freeze. Enjoy!
Conclusion
Whether you are looking for a quick fix, a healthy snack, or a fun food activity, frozen desserts are the way to go! Experiment with iced drinks and different flavors – there’s a whole world of taste to explore.
Author Bio
Mike Jones became passionate about cooking and baking after deciding to live healthier. He liked desserts but he knew that the supermarket options weren’t good for him. Now he enjoys spending the day in the kitchen and trying new recipes.
