Grapefruit-maple granita
This incredibly simple dessert is the perfect end to a summer meal. You can serve the granita very frozen, which will appear more like ice crystals, or you can let it thaw slightly to create more of a slush. Either way, you will fall in love with its tangy brightness and light, refreshing finish.
Serves 4-6
600ml grapefruit juice
Juice of 1 large lemon
80ml maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ginger powder (optional)
1 Combine the grapefruit juice, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt in a metal pan, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the ginger powder if desired and stir.
2 Freeze for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
3 Scrape the frozen mixture with a fork to create small shavings and serve immediately. Recipe supplied by Sarah Britton, mynewroots.org
Eton mess semifreddo
Semifreddo is a delicious Italian-style ice‑cream. The secret is to take it out of the freezer a few minutes before you need it – that way it will be lovely and soft. This recipe's made extra special thanks to some limoncello and crumbled meringues.
Serves 8
For the semifreddo
300g strawberries, hulled and halved
Zest of 1 small lemon
6 tbsp limoncello or orange-flavoured liqueur
3 large eggs
50g caster sugar
300ml double cream
50g meringue, crumbled into pieces
For the sauce
300g strawberries, hulled
2-3 tbsp icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp limoncello or orange-flavoured liqueur
1 For the semifreddo, place the strawberries, lemon zest and limoncello in a food processor and pulse to a coarse puree.
2 Separate the eggs into 2 large mixing bowls. Add the sugar to the yolks and whisk together until pale and really thick. Whisk the cream in a third bowl until it forms soft peaks. Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks.
3 Gently fold the cream into the egg yolks, followed by the strawberry puree, the egg whites and the crumbled meringues. Spoon the mixture into a 1½ litre shallow serving dish. Cover with clingfilm and freeze until firm, at least 7-8 hours, preferably overnight.
4 To make the strawberry sauce, simply puree all the ingredients in a liquidiser until very smooth. Rub the mixture through a very fine sieve into a bowl, cover and chill until needed.
5 Leave the semifreddo to soften slightly at room temperature before serving. Scoop large spoonfuls on to dessert plates and drizzle the sauce on top. Serve quickly, as this melts faster than normal ice-cream.
The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook (Yeo Valley) by Sarah Mayor (Quadrille). To order acopy for £16 (RRP £20), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
Pomegranate sorbet
Pomegranate molasses is made by boiling pomegranate juice down to a thick, dark syrup with a sweet-sour taste. The intense flavour makes this sorbet a wonderful palate cleanser.
Serves 10
Seeds of 4 medium pomegranates
Juice of 1 lemon
155g caster sugar
155ml water
1 tsp liquid glucose
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 Place the pomegranate seeds in a blender with the lemon juice and process until well combined. Pass through a fine sieve into ameasuring jug. You'll need exactly 350ml of juice for the sorbet – if there's any left over, drink it; don't be tempted to add it to the sorbet or it may not set.
2 Combine the sugar, water, glucose and pomegranate molasses in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and whisk into the pomegranate juice. Set aside to cool, then churn in an ice-cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have a machine, transfer the mixture to a metal baking dish and freeze until firm, stirring to break up the ice every 30 minutes, for at least 2-3 hours.
A Sardinian Cookbook by Giovanni Pilu and Roberta Muir (Jacqui Small). To order acopy for £20 (RRP £25), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846.
Borage ice cubes
Borage is an attractive annual herb with blue, star-shaped flowers. It can easily be grown from seed, which can be sown from mid-spring until midsummer in any soil that doesn't totally dry out. It flowers throughout the summer and early autumn. Pick the fresh flowers when they are fully open and add colour to your drinks with these pretty cubes.
Boiled water, cooled
A handful of borage flowers
1 Fill the ice tray with the water (boiled water will not cloud), then add asingle flower to each section. If you find the flowers difficult to handle with your fingers, use a pair of tweezers.
2 Leave to set in the freezer for 12 hours. They will keep in a freezer for up to 3 months before becoming cloudy. These flower cubes look lovely not only in drinks but also added to fruit salads or simply as a garnish in an ice bucket for special occasions.
Jekka's Herb Cookbook by Jekka McVicar (Ebury). To order acopy for £24 (RRP £30), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
Frozen nougat
This recipe is a good way to use any interesting honey that you may have in your cupboard. Be sure to use the crispest, greenest pistachios you can find.
Makes about 1 litre
For the praline
65g sugar
40g sliced almonds, lightly toasted
For the frozen nougat
90ml honey
30g sugar
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
A pinch of salt
250ml double cream
45g shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts, very coarselychopped
½ tsp orange-flower water
Grated zest of ½ orange
30g chopped candied orange peel
1 To make the praline, first lightly grease abaking tray.
2 Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer over the base of a medium, heavy-based frying pan and cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar begins to melt around the edges.
3 Using a heatproof utensil, slowly drag the liquefied sugar to the centre and stir gently until all the sugar is melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is dark amber in colour and begins to foam slightly.
4 Immediately stir in the almonds until evenly coated. Pour the mixture on to the prepared baking tray and spread it in an even layer. Leave to cool completely. The praline will harden with cooling.
5 Once cool, break up the praline with your hands before carefully chopping into small pieces with a strong blade.
6 To make the frozen nougat, heat the honey and sugar over a medium heat in a small saucepan fitted with a sugar thermometer. When the syrup reaches about 100C, start whisking the egg whites and salt at medium-high speed. When the whites form soft peaks and the syrup has climbed to 120C, with the mixer running, slowly dribble the syrup into the whites, being careful to avoid pouring syrup on the beater. Continue whisking until the meringue has completely cooled.
7 Next, whisk the cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the meringue, then fold in the pistachios, orange-flower water, orange zest, crushed praline, and candied orange peel.
8 Transfer to a shallow container and freeze until firm for at least 8 hours, preferablyovernight.
Ready For Dessert: My Best Recipes by David Lebovitz (Jacqui Small). To order a copy for £20 (RRP £25), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
Buttermilk snow with caramelised apples
Buttermilk makes a delicate, lemony "snow" to pile on top of sweet caramelised apples, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cooked plums, apricots or rhubarb.
Serves 4
600ml buttermilk
1-2 dessertspoons caster sugar, to taste
6 dessert apples, cored and sliced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 Put the buttermilk in a jug and add enough sugar to take the edge off its sourness. Pour into two ice-cube trays or a shallow dish and freeze until solid. Just before serving, remove from the freezer, leave for 5 minutes, then either put the cubes in a food processor and process to "snow", or mash the iced buttermilk in the tray with a fork.
2 Meanwhile, prepare the apples, which can be served straight from the pan, or cold. Melt the butter in a pan and saute the apple slices until they catch a little brown colour. Add the demerara sugar and gently stir until it melts and caramelises. Serve in little bowls with the buttermilk snow spooned over.
Kitchenella by Rose Prince (Fourth Estate). To order acopy for £20.80 (RRP £26), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
Poppy seed and lemon ice‑cream cake with stewed blackcurrants
The poppy seeds in this recipe add an agreeable crunch.
Serves 6
4 lemons
1 x 397g can sweetened condensed milk
150ml Greek-style natural yoghurt
150ml double or whipping cream
50g poppy seeds
For the compote
400g blackcurrants
150g caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp arrowroot
1 Line a 450g loaf tin with nonstick bakingpaper.
2 Finely grate the zest from 2 of the lemons, then squeeze the juice from all 4. Pour the condensed milk into a mixing bowl and gradually beat in the lemon juice and zest. The mixture will naturally thicken. Stir in theyoghurt.
3 In a separate bowl, lightly whip the cream into soft peaks and gently fold into the mixture. Stir in the poppy seeds. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, cover with clingfilm and freeze for 6-8 hours (preferably overnight) until very firm.
4 Meanwhile, put the blackcurrants into a pan with the sugar and lemon juice, and stew over a low heat for about 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the currants are only just starting to burst. Mix the arrowroot with 1tbsp cold water, stir in and simmer for 1minute until thickened. Tip into a bowl, cool and then chill until needed.
5 To serve, remove the ice-cream from the freezer and dip the tin briefly in warm water so that you can lift it out. Leave it to soften slightly for a few minutes, then peel back the paper and cut across into 6-7mm thick slices. Serve with the stewed blackcurrants.
The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook (Yeo Valley) by Sarah Mayor (Quadrille). To order acopy for £16 (RRP £20), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
Apricot, orange and honey icelollies
If you don't have any of those handy ice lolly moulds, buy the smallest disposable plastic cups you can find and use those. Wooden lolly handles are readily available but otherwise three wooden skewers cut to length and taped tightly together should do the job – cover the tape with some ribbon to make them look pretty if you like.
Makes 8
500g apricots, peeled, quartered and stoned
125ml freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp honey, or more to taste
1 Soften the apricots by cooking gently in a pan with a lid with the orange juice andhoney.
2 Once they are soft, blend to a smooth liquid. If the mixture is still a little tart, add a bit more honey, mix well and leave to cool.
3 Once cold, pour into ice lolly moulds and freeze for several hours. If you are using cups, cover each one with cling film and make a small hole in the middle and carefully insert a lolly handle, this should ensure it stays in the middle of the lolly. Take out 5 or so minutes before you plan to eat to make the demouldingmore easy.
Recipe supplied by Rosie Sykes; fitzbillies.com
Lemon curd frozen yoghurt
Simpler than ice-cream, and healthier to boot, this tangy frozen yoghurt is creamy and refreshing. Top with fresh berries and save yourself a trip to the fro-yo shop. You'll have alittle lemon curd left over – enjoy it on toasted brioche or on top of a breakfast bowl of yoghurt …
For the lemon curd
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
150g caster sugar
120ml lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For the frozen yoghurt
250g creamy vanilla yoghurt
280g 2% Greek yoghurt
1 In a small saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and egg until combined. While whisking, pour in the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest, and continue whisking until creamy and well incorporated.
2 Place over a medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 8-10 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, one cube at a time. Strain into a bowl or jar, cool, cover and chill for at least one hour.
3 To make the yoghurt, stir together the vanilla yoghurt, Greek yoghurt and three-quarters of the lemon curd. Pour into the pre‑frozen bowl of your ice-cream maker and churn for about 30 minutes, or until it has achieved a thick, frozen yoghurt consistency. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, place your mixture in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer and stir vigorously, breaking up any icy bits, until completely smooth, then return to freezer. Repeat every 30 minutes for up to 2hours.
Recipe supplied by Liren Baker, kitchenconfidante.com
Fresh fig ice-cream
Fresh figs have a sweet succulence that is unmatched by their dried counterparts. Afig is ripe when the sides crack and split, and adewy drop of juice starts to ooze from the tiny hole in the bottom. Once picked, figs don't ripen any more, so only buy figs that are completely ripe. For best results, use black mission figs, which will give the ice-cream alovely deep-violet colour.
Makes about 750ml
1kg fresh figs (about 20)
125ml water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
150g sugar
250ml double cream
1 Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in amedium saucepan with the water, then zest the lemon directly into the pan. Cover and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the figs are tender (8-10 minutes).
2 Remove the lid, add the sugar, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the figs are ajam-like consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3 Once cool, puree the fig paste in a blender or food processor with the cream and ½ tsp lemon juice. Taste, then add more lemon juice if desired.
4 Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, pour the chilled mixture into a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. Remove and stir vigorously to break up any frozen bits. Return to the freezer and repeat every 30 minutes for 2-3 hours, or until frozen.
The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz (Jacqui Small). To order acopy for £16 (RRP £20), visit guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846
