CW food writer Fiona Williams shares a sweet series of delicious summer delights.
Quke & berry ice blocks
Recipe courtesy of Perfection Fresh | www.perfection.com.au
Makes: 12
Prep: 1 hour + 6 hours freezing
Cook: 14 mins
- 2 x 250g Qukes baby cucumbers
- 500ml lemonade, ginger beer or lemon lime and bitters
- 3 Tbsp fresh blueberry cordial
For the fresh blueberry cordial
- 1 x 125g Perfection Blueberries
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp tartaric acid, optional
For the cordial; combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, stir constantly over medium heat without boiling until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes without stirring. Add the lemon juice and blueberries and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the tartaric acid and set aside to cool. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain and discard the skins. Refrigerate until cold. Once cold, pour into a clean sterilised jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Slice 10 Qukes lengthways, each into 5, then arrange, standing upright into 12 x 80ml (1/3 cup) popsicle moulds. Mix 250ml lemonade, ginger beer or lemon lime and bitters with 2 tablespoons of blueberry cordial. Carefully pour into the moulds so they are half full. Cover and freeze for 2 hours until partially frozen. Remove from the freezer, insert a paddle-pop stick into the centre of each mould. Top up with remaining lemonade. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight if time permits. Remove from the moulds and serve immediately.
Tip: For Qukes and mango ice blocks, chop 250g Qukes and 2 Calypso mangoes, spoon into popsicle moulds, fill with lemonade, ginger beer or lemon lime and bitters, freeze until firm.
Passionfruit vanilla bars
Recipe courtesy of Australian Passionfruit | aussiepassionfruit.com.au
Makes: 12 bars
Prep: 10 mins + freezing time
- 2 cups Greek yoghurt
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh passionfruit pulp, plus 1 Tbsp extra (4-5 fresh passionfruit)
- 2 cups pureed mango (500g)
- 1 tsp lime juice
Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper. In a medium bowl, combine yoghurt, coconut, vanilla and maple syrup. Spread yoghurt mixture evenly across the base of the prepared tin and freeze for 1-2 hours, until just firm to the touch. Combine mango puree, lime juice, and ¼ cup passionfruit pulp. Spread over yoghurt layer and smooth top. Drizzle with remaining passionfruit and return to freezer until solid – approximately 4 hours, or overnight. Remove pan from freezer and set on bench for 5 mins. Use baking paper to lift slice onto a cutting board and leave 5-10 minutes to thaw slightly. Cut into 12 bars, serve immediately or store in the freezer for a handy snack.
Avocado & banana nice-cream
Recipe courtesy of Leah Itsines for Australian Avocados.
Makes: 4-6
- 4 ripe Australian avocados, deseeded and roughly chopped
- ¾ cup raw honey or rice malt syrup
- 1 cup coconut milk or almond milk
- 2 bananas, sliced into thick chunks
- 4-6 large mint leaves
In a strong blender add avocado flesh, honey, coconut milk, bananas and mint leaves. Blend until smooth; you want a completely chunk-free consistency. Place mixture into a freezer-safe bowl and freeze for a minimum of two hours or overnight. Prior to eating, defrost at room temperature for 15 mins; this will help to scoop those perfect rounds.
Mango granita
Recipe courtesy of Australian Mangoes | www.mangoes.net.au
Makes: 4
Prep: 10 mins
Freeze: 180 mins
- 3 chopped mangoes
- Juice of one lime
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp of caster sugar
Blend the chopped mango in a food processor or blender with the lime juice, water and caster sugar. Strain and then pour into a metal tray and freeze for 3-4 hours. Remove from freezer and blend mixture again to a smooth slushy consistency. Serve immediately.
Nectarine & apricot chia pudding
Recipe courtesy of Australian Summer Stonefruit | www.facebook.com/AustraliaSummerStonefruit
Prep: 25 mins
Serves: 4
- 2x 270ml cans coconut milk
- ¾ cup white chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 yellow nectarines, stone removed, cut into thin wedges
- 4 apricots, stone removed, finely diced
- ½ cup maple syrup, to serve
- ¼ cup toasted flaked coconut, to serve
Place coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla into a bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside for 15 minutes to thicken. Spoon half the chia mixture into the base of 4x 1 cup capacity glasses or glass bowls. Top with half the nectarines and apricots. Spoon remaining chia seed mixture over fruit. Place remaining fruit onto chia seed mixture. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour or until cold. Drizzle maple syrup over fruit. Sprinkle with coconut and serve.
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