Sweet Summer Treats

 What's a good way t  end a summer meal or  offer relief a hot day? Try a summer treat.It could be homemade ice cream or an ice box cake. These help when those days get sweltering and sticky.

Homemade ice cream is actually a simple male. You don't even need an ice cream maker. One that's been on my radar is Melissa Clark's vegan peanut butter. It's cooking creamy peanut butter with simmered maple syrup and unsweetened oat milk creamer. The last is what gives it body and that plush creamy mouth feel. Ms. Clark adds vanilla and sea salt too. I'm leaning towards adding a handful of dark chocolate chips too for Reese's Peanut Butter cup vibe. It's then pureed with an immersion blender and then put into a pan Freeze for four  to six hours before serving. I can see making a sundae with this,  chocolate syrup and vegan whipped cream. If you're still going the vegan route, then try the ice cream made with just frozen bananas. This is a ridiculously simple recipe that just uses four or five of the fruit. The slices are frozen overnight and then whiled in a blender. The result is a creamy treat that can be jazzed up with chocolate sauce,and sprinkles.Another cook treat is an old fashioned egg cream.This is a blend of any kind of milk with chocolate syrup. Seltzer is added for fizz and froth. Serve this in a tall glass with a straw.It's just a refreshing treat on a hot day.

People still love cake during these blazing months and one of the best is the icebox cake. Everyone grew up on the Nabisco chocolate wafer one that has the wafers mortared together with either freshly whipped cream or Cool Whip. There are some variations on this with home chefs adding mint flavoring to the cream or sprinkling the log with shaved chocolate. Slices can be served with sliced strawberries for a fancier look. You could also create a strawberry one that has the berries layered with graham crackers and a mix of whipped cream, powdered sugar and cream cheese. Sub in chocolate graham crackers for a slightly more decadent treat. You could also layer the chocolate graham crackers with ganache and whipped cream. Sub in marshmallow for the cream and you have a s'mores cake (remember to lightly toast it with a small blow torch).Frozen pound cake makes another excellent base for this type of treat. It can be sliced lengthwise into layers and stuffed with summer fruit like blueberries,blackberries or peaches.Whipped cream is also added.

There's nothing like a sweet treat to perk you up during a heat wave. It could be homemade ice cream, an egg cream or an icebox cake. They're all perfect for a blistering summer day.