Fruit-Based Summer Dessert Recipes To Please Your Sweet Tooth

The summer season brings with it long and languid afternoons. The scorching sun, sweaty foreheads, and a dehydrated body are naturally going to make you cranky and low on energy. To put things back into motion, the best thing that you can do is treat your sweet tooth with some homemade desserts. 

Apart from the heat, the summer also brings a bounty of sun-ripened fruits that are naturally sweet and make impeccable ingredients for desserts. This is your sign to make fruit-based treats. Here are some summer recipes shared by chefs across the country to help you make the most of the seasonal produce and cope with the harsh heat.

Also Read: Why Ice Apple Is Suddenly Everywhere This Summer, Beyond Bengal & The South

Pistachio Mango Symphony

By Sunayan Pramanik, Executive Chef, The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata

Ingredients:

• 200 g almond flour
• 200 g pistachio flour
• 8 eggs
• 700 g butter
• 500 g fresh mango
• 250 g mango compote
• 200 g pistachio cream
• 400 g buttercream

Method:

1. Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Gently fold in almond flour, pistachio flour, and melted butter until well combined. 
2. Spread the batter evenly onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 170°C until soft and lightly golden. Allow to cool completely before cutting into desired shapes or rounds for the base.
3. In a saucepan, combine mango pulp, diced fresh mango, sugar, and a touch of lemon juice. Cook over low heat until slightly thick and glossy. Add a little cornflour slurry or pectin, if required, to bind. Chill completely before use.
4. Heat the mango puree with sugar and a little glucose syrup. Add soaked gelatin or agar agar and mix until smooth and glossy. Strain and cool slightly until it reaches pouring consistency.
5. Whip the fresh cream to soft peaks, then gently fold in the pistachio paste. Transfer to a piping bag and keep chilled until required.
6. Combine butter, flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and almond meal. Rub together until a crumbly texture forms. Bake at 160°C until crisp and allow to cool completely.
7. Layer the dessert with pistachio almond sponge, mango compote, and pistachio cream. Pipe or spread the pistachio cream over the sponge base and add the cooked mango filling at the centre.
8. Shape neatly and freeze slightly for a clean finish. Finish with a glossy mango jelly glaze and arrange the soil crumble artistically on the plate.
9. Garnish with fresh blueberries, mango cubes, and blanched pistachios for an elegant presentation.

Soft Cranberry Cake

By Chef Kamaldeep Kaur, US Cranberries

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup curd
• ¼ cup oil or butter
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

1. Mix all your baking essentials: flour, sugar, butter, curd and orange zest.
2. Add cranberries for that deliciously tangy flavour.
3. Toss the cranberries in a little flour so they stay evenly spread.
4. Fold them gently into the batter.
5. Bake until golden and fluffy.
6. Slice, serve, and enjoy the antioxidant-rich goodness

Mango Shrikhand

By Chef Karthikeyan K, Executive Chef, The Den, Bengaluru

Ingredients:

• 2 cups hung curd
• 1 cup mango pulp
• ½ cup icing sugar
• ½ tsp elaichi powder
• 6 strands saffron, soaked in a little warm milk
• 5 g dry fruits, finely chopped

Method:

1. Place the yoghurt in a muslin cloth and hang it for 4 to 5 hours, allowing all excess water to drain. The result should be thick and creamy.
2. Transfer the hung curd to a bowl and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
3. Fold in the fresh mango pulp and mix gently until well combined.
4. Add icing sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron-infused milk. Whisk until the mixture achieves a smooth, creamy texture.
5. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to come together.
6. Garnish with chopped dry fruits and a few strands of saffron before serving.