Cucumber, lime and elderflower cooler
Ingredients
250ml elderflower cordial
1 1/2 cucumbers
600ml (1pt) soda water
4 limes, juiced
handful mint sprigs
Ice cubes
Method
1) Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the whole cucumber then peel off 4 long strips of flesh.
2) Transfer to a plate lined with nonstick baking paper, and then roll up to make cucumber roll garnishes.
3) Roughly chop the rest of the cucumber. Put in a food processor with 12 mint leaves and blitz to a pulp. Tip the pulp into a fine sieve set over a bowl and, using a wooden spoon, press as much juice as possible into the bowl. You should end up with about 250ml of juice. Discard the pulp.
4) Mix the minty cucumber juice, elderflower cordial and lime juice in a jug, and then top up with soda water. Pour into 4 tall glasses filled with ice cubes and garnish each with a mint sprig, cucumber garnish and straw.
Strawberry ice cream
Ingredients
200g strawberries, hulled
4 tbsp strawberry jam
600ml carton double cream
397g tin condensed milk
25g freeze-dried strawberries
Method
1) Put the strawberries and jam in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Tip the purée into a sieve, set over a large bowl and leave to strain out the seedy bits.
2) Put the double cream and condensed milk into a large mixing bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat them together until the mixture is thick and can hold peaks. Use a spatula to push any remaining purée through the sieve, then gently fold it through the creamy mixture.
3) Sprinkle over the freeze-dried strawberries and fold these in too, then scrape into a freezer-proof container and freeze until solid. Serve in cones or bowls with your favourite toppings.
Raspberry sorbet
Ingredients
200g granulated sugar
500g raspberries, plus more to serve (optional)
1 lemon, juiced
Method
1) Put the sugar and 270ml water in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat and simmer for 5 mins, or until the liquid has become a syrup. Set aside to cool.
2) Put the raspberries and lemon juice in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds. Combine with the sugar syrup, then pour into freezer-proof container.
3) Freeze for 1hr 30 mins, then whisk with a balloon whisk or a fork to break up any ice crystals that have formed and return to the freezer.
4) Keep mixing the sorbet once an hour for 4 hrs to break up the ice crystals. Stop mixing when firm but scoopable. Will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Serve with extra raspberries, if you like.
Apple elderflower cooler
Ingredients
½ lemon, juice only
1 tbsp elderflower cordial
125ml apple juice
Sparkling water, to taste (optional)
Mint sprig, to garnish
Method
1) Pour the lemon juice, elderflower cordial and apple juice into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake for 10 seconds, then pour everything (including the ice) into a half-pint glass or tumbler. (Alternatively, you can stir it all together in a large glass).
2) Top up the drink, to taste, with sparkling water, if using. Add a sprig of mint to garnish.
Chocolate banana ice cream
Ingredients
4 frozen bananas, peeled
25g cocoa powder
2 tablespoons almond butter, can sub peanut butter
Splash of milk of choice
Optional: chocolate chunks or chips, to sprinkle on the top
Method
1) Place the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and almond butter into your high-powered blender. Blend the bananas on high speed using the plunger to push the bananas down as needed. After 2-3 minutes the ice cream will run smoothly. If you need to make this smoother, add in a splash of milk or 2.
2) Either eat right away or freeze for 2 hours so that it is hard enough to scoop into cones. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks, if you'd like.
Watermelon cooler
Ingredients
550g watermelon, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
¼ lemon, juice only
fresh mint leaves, to serve
Method
1) Mash the watermelon in a bowl, then stir in the lemon juice.
2) Sieve the watermelon into a jug and press down gently on the pulp to extract all the juice. Pour the juice into glasses filled with ice and garnish with the mint.
Blueberry ice lollies
Ingredients
625g fresh blueberries
1 lime, juiced
75ml water
Method
1) Blitz the blueberry and lime juice with 75ml cold water in a blender until smooth.;
2) Fill a 10-hole-lollipop mould with the blueberry mixture. If your mould has a stick holder, add the sticks now. Otherwise, transfer the mould to the freezer, then remove it after 20 minutes and add the sticks. Leave to completely freeze overnight.
3) When ready to eat, remove the ice lollies from the freezer and serve. If they are hard to get out, very briefly run them under hot water to loosen.
Strawberry and banana ice lollies
Ingredients
2 bananas, chopped
400g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
200g pure squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp clear honey
Method
1) In a blender, whizz all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined and smooth. Pour into moulds and freeze for at least 4 hours or until completely frozen.
