Dinners in summer weather mean lots of fresh, juicy and even cold or room temperature elements laid out on the table. From crisp salads to cold soups to slightly toasted flatbreads, summertime meals feature light foods that leave you feeling satiated without heaviness.
Desserts curated for this season carry a similar character and can generally be options which are frozen and decadent. Think chocolatey treats made using just two ingredients: efficient, quick to make and requiring minimal prep, these are perfect options as weeknight sweet treats served post a refreshing meal. The desserts can be prepared in advance and stocked up in the fridge, brought out when one craves something sweet post a summer dinner or supper.
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
2 Ingredients: Dark Chocolate And Bananas
All that’s needed to prepare this straightforward frozen treat is ripe bananas and good quality melted dark chocolate. While milk chocolate is just as fine an ingredient, it is the slightly dark and bitter chocolate which introduces depth into the dessert. Slice bananas and freeze them to make the base of the ice cream as they naturally create a soft-serve texture. This makes it easier to mix the chocolate into the blended frozen fruit without necessitating the addition of cream. Once the mixture integrates, allow it to freeze completely and serve small scoops at dinner.
Chocolate Yoghurt Mousse
2 Ingredients: Dark Chocolate And Yoghurt
Chilled, soft and utterly silky, a delicious chocolate yoghurt mousse is one of the simplest yet elegant summertime desserts to prepare for those post-dinner sweet cravings. The treat can be prepared by mixing together thick yoghurt or hung curd with melted dark chocolate. Fold the chocolate into the yoghurt and blend until fully mixed. Chill in little mousse cups for a few hours so the soft dessert settles completely. The tanginess of the yoghurt will balance out the depth of the chocolate to make for an effortless and indulgent treat after a light supper.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
2 Ingredients: Peanut Butter And Milk Chocolate
Chocolate Coconut Bites
2 Ingredients: Milk Chocolate And Fresh Or Dessicated Coconut
If there are two ingredients which surprisingly work together most times, it is chocolate and desiccated coconut. Bring melted chocolate together with the shaved coconut and freeze slightly. Now, roll the mixture into little bite-sized rounds and freeze them fully. Bring these little treats out post dinner on a weeknight as a light nibble, particularly after a summer dinner featuring elegant treats like hummus, pita and falafel paired with pickled cucumbers, beets, radishes and other assorted veggies. The chocolate and coconut bites will deliver a tropical and texturally rich conclusion to the summer meal.
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Strawberries
2 Ingredients: Strawberries And Melted Dark Chocolate
Elegant, sophisticated and chic, these treats can be made quickly on a summer evening, just a couple of hours before dinner. Just dip the strawberries in melted chocolate and set them to freeze. Perfect for date night, the strawberries are a rich, fruity, frozen treat ensconced in deep, complex and gooey chocolatey indulgence. The frozen fruit is the perfect fit as a tropical summer dessert that follows a meal comprising cold soups, fresh salads and a lean protein such as grilled lemon butter fish or a roasted chicken breast or even poached eggs.