Totally Chill Desserts
Easy, breezy frosty treats
Summer isn’t over yet —let’s not rush it out the door. There are still plenty of sunny, hot days ahead where you’ll want a cool, sweet afternoon nibble or a dessert to cap an al fresco meal. And there is still plenty of juicy, peak-season summer fruit at the market. These easy, breezy frosty treats hit the spot perfectly to savor every last drop of summer. Enjoy!
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Grilled Peaches with Ice Cream
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White
Grilling fruit makes it more decadent by intensifying its flavor, warming and plumping it. Here, a little ice cream (or frozen yogurt or non-dairy ice cream) and a sprig of mint where the pit once was make these grilled peaches a lovely finish to a summer meal.
Blackberry Sage Ice Pops
Photo: Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post
These frozen fruit pops are an upgrade of fruit-juice ones my mom would make for me when I was young. They were a cool break on a hot summer day that seemed to make everyone happy — me, because they were a sweet treat, and her, because they were relatively good for us kids. This recipe builds on that approach but uses pureed fruit rather than juice. That makes the pops more intensely flavorful, with the full, deep essence of blackberry in every frosty bite, and more nutrient-rich. But that’s not all. These pops get another layer of flavor from fresh sage. The result is a bold-flavored frozen treat that will make a kid’s summer day but has enough flair to appeal to grown-ups as well.
Chocolate Covered Banana Pops
Photo by Christopher Hirscheimer
These frozen, chocolate covered banana pops are as fun to eat as they are satisfying. The bananas can be devoured right after they get their chocolate coating (the chocolate solidifies quickly on the frozen surface). Alternatively, the chocolate-coated bananas can be wrapped up and frozen for on-demand access.