What is it with this summer heat? It’s excruciatingly uncomfortable and painfully exhausting. Holing up in an air-conditioned room would be ideal but heavy on the electric bill. So when the heat is becoming too hard to manage, my family and I turn to something else to keep us cool – food!
These five sweet treats are some of our favourite ways to cool down during the hot season. They’re so easy to prepare you can ask the kids to help out. Best of all, they don’t require any baking. Hallelujah! I don’t think we would be welcoming any additional heat into the kitchen now, will we?
Chocolate cornflake banana pops
For chocoholics who need to fulfil part of their fruit quota for the day, this is a good option. Peel a banana. Drizzle it with chocolate syrup. Roll in crushed cornflakes. Wrap in foil and pop in the freezer for at least four hours. Take out as needed. It’s a sweet and crunchy treat that will help you cool down.
Frozen refrigerator cake bars
This is my summer treat of choice! On a graham cracker, spoon a layer of whipped cream mixed with a little sugar or condensed milk for sweetness. Top with chopped sliced strawberries, bananas or mangoes. Spread another dollop of cream over the fruits. Press a graham cracker over your creation to give it an appearance of a sandwich. Then top with more cream and fruits. Wrap in foil. Freeze for at least four hours. Take it out as needed. This is perfect for hot summer afternoons and midnight snacks.
Mamon revamped
Slice the mamon horizontally such that you’ll have three pieces – the bottom layer, the middle layer and the cover. Spread a spoonful of whipped cream on the bottom and middle layers. Top each with mango or strawberry slices. Reassemble your mamon, put back the cover and voila! You’ve got a revamped mamon treat that’s great for dessert. Make it pretty by topping the mamon with a whole strawberry and a dollop of cream.
Mamon revamped version 2
Instead of whipped cream, we use softened ice cream for this one. Slice the mamon horizontally into three layers. On the bottom layer, spread softened chocolate ice cream. On the middle layer, spread softened mango ice cream and freeze. Top with the mamon cover. Wrap in foil. Freeze until ready to serve. Chocolate-mango is my preferred flavour combination, but feel free to try out your own ice cream flavors!
Nutella wontons
This requires the heat of a frying pan, but the frying will be quick and easy you’ll be munching on these treats before you know it. Line a piece of molo wrapper with beaten egg. Drop a dollop of Nutella the center. Top with a small serving of diced fruits such as strawberries or bananas. Fold the wrapper into a triangle. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. When serving, arrange the wontons on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Keep a stock of the first four treats in the freezer. They’re great emergency cool-down delights. The last treat can be made with friends so you can take turns frying the wontons at the burner. Enjoy the rest of your summer!