Somehow, we’ve reached the weekend that is considered by many to be the last hurrah of summer. It always goes by in a blink, and every year, the blink seems like the fastest one yet. Though very sentimental, I also can’t help but feel some excitement toward the cooler temperatures, fall produce and general coziness to come.
At the beginning of this summer, we gave ourselves a challenge to come up with a new ice cream to post here every Sunday. We are happy to have fulfilled the plan, and the result consists of twelve original ice cream recipes that we are very proud of (+1 recipe from an author we love). Sometimes, I really love setting difficult-but-realistic goals for myself that I know will make me grow, whether personally or professionally – this one made me grow in both ways. Some weeks, it was definitely challenging to think up yet another frozen treat, but mostly, it was very rewarding and quite fun. I generally find myself having a more lighthearted approach, when it comes to ice cream recipe development, as opposed to the more serious savory recipes. The abundance of summer produce made the process of coming up with new flavors quite fluid, and I worked with what was available. Below, a round up of our summer of ice cream. It’s neat to see it all lined up chronologically, starting with rhubarb in the early summer, followed by strawberries, peaches, very light sorbets for the hottest of days, tropical milkshakes, and my youngest daughter’s birthday cake.
We are currently brainstorming ideas for a similar weekend series to run during the colder months of the year, and would love to hear from you on what kind of recipes you’d like to see (snacks? sandwiches? soups? It doesn’t have to start with an S!). Have a lovely weekend :)
Rose and Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt – Frozen yogurt is one of the easiest frozen treats to make, especially if you have an ice cream maker. All it takes is some good yogurt, whatever secondary ingredients you choose for flavor, and a quick whirl in the machine. I’ve always found rose flavor to be very invigorating, and combined with the subtle tartness of the rhubarb and creamy tanginess of the yogurt, this is dessert and aromatherapy all in one bowl.
Emma’s Strawberry Thai Basil Sorbet – Aside from eating them just as they are, nothing showcases seasonal fresh berries more than homemade sorbet. This one is from Emma’s beautiful cookbook, My Darling Lemon Thyme – Recipes from My Real Food Kitchen. One of the things I adore about Emma’s cooking style is her love of fresh herbs. Just like her, I often include herbs in sweet dishes, it’s a little trick to turn many ordinary desserts into a completely unique and memorable treat. The inclusion of Thai basil in this recipe is genius and makes this creamy sorbet even more refreshing, aromatic and summery. It’s also hard to believe that this intense crimson colour comes just from strawberries – a real show stopper.
Lavender Ice Cream with Chocolate Tahini Bits – My go-to vegan lavender ice cream recipe with the addition of rich and decadent chocolate-tahini bits. It has a creamy, luxurious texture, which combines so well with the refreshing flavors of lavender and chewy, bittersweet pieces of chocolate.
Chamomile Honey-Lemon Ice Cream – Chamomile, honey and lemon are flavors that seem to have been made for one another. In this ice cream, they unite into a subtle taste that I can only describe as soothing, steadying and balancing. There’s that unmistakably floral quality from the chamomile, sweetness from the honey, a sour citrus note from the lemon, all combined in a cooling and smooth ice cream.
Green Smoothie Pops – A green smoothie on a stick that can be easily eaten for breakfast on a very hot day, or as an extra nutritious dessert, on any day.
Papaya Lime Sundae – Papaya always pairs amazingly well with lime – both are tropical in flavor, and lime gives creamy and mild papaya just the right hint of brightness and zing. Presented here as a very refreshing version of a sundae, with delicious and healthful add-ins – desiccated coconut, cacao nibs (which we sprinkle on everything sweet in this house), and a drizzle of Lady Date pure date syrup.
Piña Colada Milkshake – A recreation of my favorite beachside cocktail in non-alcoholic, vegan milkshake form.
Peach, Honey and Thyme Lemonade Popsicles – These lemonade popsicles, with a bit of zing from ginger, have been in my beat-the-heat arsenal for many summers now – a dessert for the toastiest of days, requiring minimal effort. The lemonade can also be had in its original, un-frozen state, and is an incredibly refreshing, summery drink.
Tahini Ice Cream Bars with Miso and Caramel and Chocolate – These vegan tahini ice cream bars, covered with a generous drizzle of miso caramel and chocolate, very distantly remind me of Snickers ice cream bars, which I used to love, but these particular ones are much more healthful and interesting in flavor.
Superfood ‘Cherry Garcia’ Pops with a Chocolate Core – A recreation of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor, made vegan and nutritious with the addition of a few energizing superfoods, and complete with a decadent chocolate core.
Mint and Chocolate Milkshake with Aquafaba Whipped Cream – A classic ice cream flavor in milkshake form. It’s creamy, with little hard specs of cacao nibs, invigorating with the addition of fresh mint, and topped with a chickpea-based vegan whipped cream.
Pistachio and Raspberry Fields Ice Cream Cake – Paloma’s birthday cake, named for her obsession with the Beatles. Pistachio and raspberry complement each other perfectly here, the pistachio flavor being nutty and earthy, while the raspberry becomes its perfect, juicy and fruity pair. The cacao buckwheat crust adds just the right hint of chocolate and crunch to the mix.
Berry Creamsicles with White Chocolate Drizzle – These beauties are a breeze to make, requiring no ice cream maker, and are colored lilac with all of summer’s sweetest, sun-ripened berries. The white chocolate drizzle, made with cacao butter and cashews, adds a nice, extra bit of texture to the creamy berry base, but the creamsicles are great on their own as well, in case you don’t want to bother with the drizzle.
lisa kassoff says
Where is Paloma’s birthday cake?
Anya says
Hi Lisa,
Please follow this link for the cake – https://golubkakitchen.com/pistachio-and-raspberry-fields-ice-cream-cake/
Natalia says
I enjoyed every recipe which made a big part of my sundays, and during the holiday I couldn’t wait to get home to see your news ice creams! They were all so different and involved pretty colors and vibrant fruits! <3
I love soups as they are for me a good way to warm up after a day of work, so I would love to discover here new soup recipes!
Thank you, Anya, for every ice cream recipe (still have to make the Paloma's cake).
Anya says
Hi Natalia,
You are the sweetest – that is so nice to hear!
And noted on the soups, thanks so much for the suggestion, I will give it some thought :)
Rhian @ Rhian's Recipes says
These all look incredibly delicious and I especially like the look of those Tahini Ice Cream Bars. Thanks for sharing!
Anya says
Hi Rhian,
Thanks so much! The Tahini Ice Cream Bars were one of the biggest hits ;)
Thia says
Congrats, Anya, on a goal realized! We ALL benefited from your success–the BEST kind of success!!
I’d love to see SOUP recipes. It’s my staple food for fall through early spring.
And maybe some casserole-type dishes, with intentional leftovers…?
Anya says
Hi Thia,
Thank you so much for your kind words and the suggestions, I will think about some soups and casseroles :)
alexa.al says
Look so nice. I will try to cook it.
The Wooden Spoon says
I love this idea! These look amazing