Fruits add fibre and flavour to desserts and are nutritional too. With a wide range of summer fruits such as peaches, mangoes, plums and melons, why not make seasonal treats out of these? But ice cream isn’t the only dessert you enjoy in summer. Here are some other delicious options that are easy to make and will satisfy your sweet tooth. So dig in!

PEACH CRÈME BRÛLÉE

INGREDIENTS

Peaches 10, very ripe, peeled and pureed
Icing sugar ½ cup
Ready vanilla custard 2 cups
Fresh whipped cream 2 cups
Brown sugar ½ cup
Peach slices for garnish, very thin

METHOD

Cook peach puree with icing sugar until thick and little dry. Gently fold half of it in the custard that has already been prepared. Reserve the other half for topping.

Aren’t desserts the best way to get your daily fruit serving?

Combine whipped cream and custard by folding with a spatula. Pour out in a baking dish and sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar all over. Place under the broiler until the sugar melts and hardens. Let chill for few hours.

Take out small portions in serving cups. Top with remaining peach puree, a dollop of fresh cream and a peach slice, and enjoy! 

REVITALISING MANGO AND MINT MOJITO

INGREDIENTS

Sweet mango pulp 1 cup
Icing sugar ¼ cup
Mint leaves ¼ cup
Lemon wedges 4
Crushed ice 1 cup

METHOD

Take a deep steel or glass bowl. Add mint leaves, lemon wedges, icing sugar and crushed ice. With a heavy base crusher break everything until a mushy mixture is ready. Add mango pulp and soda water. Using a sieve, pour the drink into small martini glasses. Garnish with a slice of mango and a sprig of mint. Serve chilled!

APRICOT WHOLE FRUIT JAM

INGREDIENTS

Ripe apricots 1 kg pitted
Sugar 2 cups
Butter 1 cup
Lemon juice 2 tbs
Lemon zest 1 tbs

METHOD

Heat butter, and add apricots, sugar and lemon juice to it. Cook until very mushy and thick paste is ready. Add lemon zest. Blend to a smooth paste. Take out in a bottle or plastic container. Keep refrigerated and use within one week.

P.S.: You can also use this mixture by folding with custard and cream to make Khubani ka Meetha.

BLACK PLUM CRUMBLE

INGREDIENTS:

Plums 1 kg, pitted and very thinly sliced
Sugar 1 cup
Fresh cream 2 cups
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Butter 1 cup, melted
Digestive biscuits made into powder 1 ½ cup
Almond powder ½ cup

METHOD

Heat half of the butter. Then add plums and sugar until mushy and the water dries. Add cream and combine well. Take out in a baking dish.

In a separate bowl combine the remaining butter, digestive biscuit powder, almond powder and vanilla essence into a crumble.

Spread the crumble on top of the plum mixture. Preheat the oven with the broiler on, bake until the top is golden and the bottom is bubbly.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Published in Dawn, EOS, July 30th, 2017