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Food

Cool and Creamy Desserts

June 17, 2012

Warmer days call for desserts that are cool, creamy, and refreshing. From peppermint ice cream to lemon meringue pie, here are our favorite recipes.

Peach Melba — Bruno Neveu -- former pastry chef at the Ritz-Escoffier cooking school in Paris -- helped us decipher Escoffier's bare-bones recipe.André Baranowski

Paw Paw Ice Cream — This custardy ice cream gets its tropical flavor from paw paws, a musky-sweet fruit native to the American Midwest that tastes somewhere between a banana and a mango, with a plush, creamy texture. Get the recipe for Paw Paw Ice Cream »Farideh Sadeghin

Lavender Honey Ice Cream — True miel de lavande, the honey from Provence produced by bees that feed primarily on lavender blossoms, imparts a creamy texture and distinctive flavor and scent to a simple ice cream.Helen Rosner

Raspberry Ice Cream — Buy the finest peak-season raspberries you can find and leave them raw to preserve their fresh, ripe flavor. Don't shy away from salt either, which will help keep the raspberry essence from being lost in the cream. Get the recipe for Raspberry Ice Cream »Matt Taylor-Gross

Sea Salt Ice Cream — This ice cream gets a savory boost from flaky sea salt. Get the recipe for Sea Salt Ice Cream »Christina Holmes

Blackberry Cream Pie with Toasted Oat and Sesame Crumb Crust — Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery in Durham, North Carolina makes cream pies all summer long that incorporate different fruits as they become available. This recipe works just as well with strawberries, peaches, cherries, or whatever is in peak season. It's also a great way to use fruit that is just beyond its usability, whether bruised or overly ripe.Farideh Sadeghin

Blackberry Flummery — This sweet pudding-like dessert from Sickles Market in Little Silver, New Jersey, gained popularity in the United Kingdom during the 17th century. You can discard the solids after straining the berries, but we love eating them on top of it along with freshly whipped cream.Farideh Sadeghin

Pistachio Gelato — This delectable Italian specialty is cool, creamy, lightly nutty, and especially delicious when paired with our Chocolate Gelato.Christopher Hirsheimer

Pastry Puffs — Don't let the appearance of these cream puffs intimidate you -- this dessert is both fun and easy to make at home. Even though this is the classic recipe, let your imagination run wild and stuff these little puff dandies with coffee, chocolate, or peanut butter ice cream, if you like.
See the recipe for Pastry Puffs »Brooke Slezak

Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream — For added decadence, top this ultra-peanutty ice cream with chocolate sauce or hot fudge.Christopher Hirsheimer

Sauternes Custard with Armagnac-Soaked Prunes — At Boulestin, Agen prunes, prized for their caramel notes and soft texture, are infused with brewed tea, cinnamon, and armagnac and then used to top this sumptuous custard. In lieu of vanilla sugar, you can substitute 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Get the recipe for Sauternes Custard with Armagnac-Soaked Prunes »Tom Parker

Syllabub — Oloroso sherry and cognac add a little zing to a classic whipped dessert--try adding a little raspberry purée or a few chopped white peaches.
See the recipe for Syllabub »James Oseland

Banana Split — There's no denying the appeal of a classic banana split—ice cream, bananas, whipped cream, plenty of flavored syrups, and maraschino cherries.Christopher Hirsheimer

Meringue Floating in Crème Anglaise — Sprinkled on top of these delicate meringues—which float in a vanilla custard—are praline roses, caramel-coated almonds dyed a bright pink. The color's a bit shocking, but they're a staple of Lyonnaise pâtisseries and lend a nice crunch and color to this white-on-white backdrop. Get the recipe for Meringue Floating in Crème Anglaise »Matt Taylor-Gross

Lemon Curd — This thick, tangy spread is great spooned on toast and as a filling for tarts and cakes.André Baranowski

Rice Pudding with Raspberries — Lighter than most rice puddings, and not as sweet, this Swedish specialty is eaten both as a dessert and as a breakfast food. Short-grain rice, such as arborio, is essential for creating a deliciously creamy consistency. Get the recipe for Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis »Matt Taylor-Gross

Peanut Butter Bourbon Milkshake — Maple syrup and a healthy dose of bourbon add a delectable kick to this grown-up take on a peanut butter milkshake, served at Seattle's Skillet Diner.Todd Coleman

Black-Bottom Pie — Creamy, chocolaty, and with a touch of rum is how we would describe this popular dessert. The buttery chocolate-cookie crust used for this pie is our favorite of the options offered by Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery (Fawcett Publication, Inc. 1965). See the recipe for Black-Bottom Pie »Christopher Hirsheimer

raspberry trifle — This classic dessert is moistened with the sweetened, wine-spiked cream known as syllabub. See the recipe for Raspberry Trifle »Saveur

Fresh Peach Ice Cream — Sweet, pale orange ice cream flavored with ripe, juicy peaches simply screams summer. Get the recipe for Peach Ice Cream »Laura Sant

Lavender Honey Ice Cream — True miel de lavande, the honey from Provence produced by bees that feed primarily on lavender blossoms, imparts a creamy texture and distinctive flavor and scent to a simple ice cream. Get the recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream »Helen Rosner

Pavlova — Few desserts are as pretty and as easy to make as this meringue-and-fruit confection, named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.Dave Lieberman

Chocolate cream pie — A crunchy crust and pudding-like filling make this pie a standout.Michael Kraus

Pistachio Ice Cream — Sweetened whole milk flavored with crushed cardamom, saffron, and pistachio is frozen in molds to create these impressive, sculptural desserts.André Baranowski

Coeur à la Crème with Caramelized Strawberries — Pepper, cloves and cinnamon give the bright strawberry sauce in this dessert a spicy kick, offsetting the rich creaminess of sweet cheese. Get the recipe for Coeur à la Crème with Caramelized Strawberries »Todd Coleman

Tricolored Bavarian Cream — In this classic Swiss dessert, gelatin is used in a creamy custard that's set between two layers of tart raspberry and strawberry cream.Michael Kraus

Raspberries in Pink Champagne Gelée — These simple gelled fruit desserts made with rosé champagne are an elegant way to serve summer berries.Michael Kraus

David Lebovitz's Mocha Sherbet — This chocolate and espresso delight from David Lebovitz is a rich fudgy combination of favorite flavors that is surprisingly light and refreshing.David Lebovitz

Nutmeg Ice Cream — Serve this spiced ice cream on its own or scooped on top of warm fruit crisps, cobblers, or pies, particularly apple.Todd Coleman

Banana Pudding — Custard, vanilla wafers, and bananas are layered and topped with whipped cream in our version of the classic Southern dessert.Todd Coleman

Peanut Butter Pie — Peanut butter and confectioners' sugar form a crumbly base for this pudding pie.Todd Coleman

Peach-Raspberry Trifle — Layers of coconut sponge cake, raspberries, tapioca, and bourbon-stewed peaches in easily portable mason jars make this trifle perfect for summer picnics. The compote and the cake can be made up to two days ahead; store them in airtight containers in the fridge.Anna Stockwell

Lemon Curd-Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream — This elegant ice cream recipe is a frozen riff on a pavlova.Anna Stockwell

Sweet Corn and Black Raspberry Ice Cream — This recipe combines the silky flavor of corn with the tartness of black raspberries.Todd Coleman

Beet Ice Cream with Mascarpone, Orange Zest, and Poppy Seeds — Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH has some of the most amazing flavors around. In this recipe, the addition of roasted beets and poppy seeds lends the end product a festive hue and a bit of crunch. ‪Todd Coleman

Pomegranate Meringue Rose Tart — This Middle-Eastern-influenced tart heaps white chocolate-orange ganache accented with rose water into a pistachio shortbread crust. Pomegranate meringue shaped to form rose petals makes for a show-stopping finish.Maxime Iattoni

Mango Ice (Raspado de Mango) — This refreshing frozen treat, made from bottled or fresh mango juice, is a Mexican version of granita.Todd Coleman

Chocolate Mousse — This simple yet sophisticated, airy yet intense concoction has been a hit with home cooks in America at least since the New York Times published its first recipe for the dessert in 1955.Todd Coleman

White Chocolate-Cardamom Panna Cotta — Sweetened with white chocolate only, this rich, Middle Eastern-inspired panna cotta gets its distinctive floral aroma from an infusion of blistered cardamom.Todd Coleman

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Mousse — In this updated take on a classic French dessert, cream cheese adds stability and a pleasing tang, which balances the sweet white chocolate without overpowering it.Todd Coleman

Vanilla Banana Black & White Milkshake — This recipe for a chocolate and banana layered shake is based on one in Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes (Norton, 2009) by Adam Ried.André Baranowski

Strawberry Milk Shake — This recipe is based on one in Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes by Adam Ried.André Baranowski

Rhubarb Mousse — This sweet-tart creamy dessert can be eaten chilled or frozen in ramekins. Get the recipe for Rhubarb Mousse »Todd Coleman

Strawberry Mousse — This pretty pink strawberry dessert should be chilled before enjoying—make it a day ahead and freeze for an especially refreshing treat. Get the recipe for Strawberry Mousse »Helen Rosner

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