Easy Desserts for Spontaneous Summer Entertaining - Beat the Heat!

Holy Hades it is hot outside! 

When the mercury rises, my kiddo NEEDS to cool off, and the neighborhood pool is the perfect place to do so. 

We inevitably run into friends from school, and I occasionally stick my foot in my mouth and invite them to an impromptu BBQ after the kids rinse off. Sometimes they offer to bring a watermelon, and I almost always have burgers and buns on hand, so why not?

Having friends over for a BBQ, sitting outside in the heat with the sprinklers on and the kids running wild, fanning away the sweat and occasional bee. This is not the day to turn on the oven, but I am not a woman who says no to the opportunity to make treats for the people I love. 

Oh, to be so torn! Do I risk breaking the AC to fulfill my hostess cravings or suffer knowing my guests will leave with a sour taste in their mouths?

If this sounds familiar, I’ve been there. These summer-ready sweets will make you feel like a total kitchen witch (or wizard) without breaking a sweat—or your air conditioning. No oven, no stress, just pure, crowd-pleasing deliciousness.

Waffle Cookies Recipe

https://olivesnthyme.com/waffle-cookies/#recipe

I have made these several times and love the crunchy exterior! 

Sweet Skills Tip: I like to add a bit of cinnamon (¼-½ tsp) and use vanilla bean paste to elevate the flavor profile even more! Bonus points for topping it with ice cream when it’s fresh from the waffle iron! Super, extra bonus points for adding sprinkles, mini M&Ms, macerated strawberries, whipped cream… The topping possibilities are only as limited as your imagination (and pantry).

No-Bake Cheesecake

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/no-bake-cheesecake/

Who doesn’t love cheesecake?! This recipe can be made days in advance, too, for all you planners out there. 

Sweet Skills Tip: Switch out the graham crackers for cleaned-out Oreos, or even some Biscoff cookies, and now we are talking about a super special treat that will have every neighbor begging for the recipe! Get even more extra by topping it with macerated strawberries!

Chocolate Mousse Recipe

https://www.thekitchn.com/chocolate-mousse-22949276#post-recipe-214930001

This recipe from the Kitchn uses a method we learned right out of the gate in pastry school. In fact, when our Chef Instructor gave us a pop-quiz challenge of “make me a chocolate mousse in 20 minutes” this is what I did while all my classmates were faffing around with eggs and double boilers. Glorious dessert using only the microwave that comes together in mere minutes with only 2 ingredients… what are you waiting for?! 

Sweet Skills Tip: Host of the year prize will be yours, especially if you top it with some fresh, in season strawberries or raspberries.

No-Bake Hazelnut and Chocolate Candies Recipes

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/no-bake-hazelnut-and-chocolate-candies-5472357

These need a little more forethought, but well worth it in the end!

Sweet Skills Tip: To skip the oven roasting step with the hazelnuts, use a frying pan and toast over medium heat until fragrant. I like to use the Justin’s Hazelnut Spread instead of the standard go-to chocolate hazelnut spread because it’s got a lower sugar content and nuttier flavor. 

Homemade Magic Shell for Ice Cream

https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/homemade-magic-shell/#recipe

Have ice cream but having a hard time finding a good store bought topping that isn’t full of gunk? Make your own! So fast, super easy, and just 2 ingredients! 

Sweet Skills Tip: Use refined coconut oil and it won’t taste like coconut, or lean into the coconut flavor of unrefined oil and top with toasted coconut and some pineapple for a tropical treat!

Now, if you’ve got a little extra time and want to wow without wilting, panna cotta is your secret weapon.

I used to think Panna Cotta was a high end, fancy pants dessert, reserved for restaurants, but guess what? It’s just milk Jello! NBD. 

Some gelatin, dairy, and chill time and you have a not-too-sweet, rich but not heavy dessert that will please young and old alike! 

There are so many ways to dress it up too! Seasonal fruit, some acid in the form of citrus zest or cultured dairy (buttermilk isn’t just for pancakes BTW), chocolate, nuts: so many opportunities to add flavor and interest to a very simple dessert! 

No ramekins? Just use drinking glasses! I don’t usually mess around with unmolding it unless I am looking to get super fancy. Like a grown-up pudding cup, just dig in! 

Jump over to my YouTube channel to see my take on this misunderstood dessert.

Orange-Vanilla Panna Cotta with Macerated Strawberries

Prep Time = 15 minutes

Chilling Time = at least 2 hours, preferably overnight

Yield = 6 servings

A silky-smooth panna cotta infused with fresh orange zest and real vanilla, topped with lightly macerated citrus-kissed strawberries. The panna cotta alone tastes like a creamsicle! It’s bright and fresh, like a warm summer’s day, and makes the perfect, impressive dessert for your guests!

Ingredients

For the panna cotta:

• 2 3/4 sheets silver gelatin OR 4 tsp powdered gelatin
  
• 85 grams cold water (IF using powdered gelatin)
  
• 50 grams granulated sugar
  
• Zest of 1 orange (see notes)
• 85 grams whole milk
  
• 130 grams heavy cream
  
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean (plus the scraped pod) (see notes)
  
• Pinch of fine sea salt
  
• 340g heavy cream (cold)
  

For the macerated strawberries (optional topping):

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (or smaller if large)
  
• Juice from the zested orange
  
• 40 grams granulated sugar
  
• Small pinch of fine sea salt
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Bloom the gelatin:

• If using sheet gelatin, place the 2 3/4 sheets in a bowl with enough cold water to cover the sheets and let bloom for at least 5 minutes while continuing on with the remaining steps. 
  
• If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle 4 tsp over 85 grams of cold water in a small bowl and let it bloom while you prep the remaining ingredients.
  

2. Infuse the sugar with orange:
   Zest your orange directly into the 50g sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it’s fragrant and slightly damp—this helps release the essential oils and really brings out the orange flavor.
3. Heat the base mixture:
   In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, 130g heavy cream, vanilla bean paste (or seeds scraped from one vanilla bean plus the pod itself), pinch of sea salt, and the orange zest + sugar mixture. Place the pan over medium heat and slowly bring the mixture just to the edge of a simmer. You want it hot enough to fully dissolve the gelatin, but not boiling—boiling can damage gelatin’s setting ability.

4. Add the gelatin:
   Remove the pan from the heat.

• If using sheet gelatin, squeeze out as much water as possible and stir the softened sheets into the hot mixture until fully dissolved.
  
• If using powdered gelatin, stir the entire bloomed mass into the hot mixture until fully dissolved and smooth.
  

5. Blend in the cold cream:
   Pour the 340g of cold heavy cream into a large bowl, measuring cup, or blender jar. Slowly pour in the hot gelatin mixture, blending as you go. An immersion blender or standard blender is ideal for creating a smooth, cohesive mixture. A whisk will work in a pinch, but blending gives the best texture.
6. Strain and portion:
   Pour the blended panna cotta mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup with a pour spout. This step removes any undissolved gelatin, the vanilla pod, and orange zest—leaving you with a silky-smooth base.

Divide the mixture evenly between ramekins, glasses, or molds. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight is even better for a firmer, creamier set.

Macerated Strawberries

These juicy, lightly sweetened berries make the perfect fresh topping for panna cotta.

Combine the strawberries, orange juice, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a container with a lid. Seal and shake gently to mix, then let sit for 30–60 minutes (or up to 5 days). The sugar will dissolve, pulling out the berries' juices and creating a natural syrup. Spoon over chilled panna cottas just before serving.

Notes

• If you used a vanilla bean, don’t toss the pod! After straining, rinse it well and let it dry completely. You can tuck it into a jar of sugar to make homemade vanilla sugar, or reuse it to flavor future custards or syrups.
• If you don’t have a vanilla bean, or vanilla bean paste on hand, use 1 tsp natural vanilla extract but add it into the cold cream. The flavors in extract can cook off, so adding it after the cooking stage will preserve more flavor.
  
• This panna cotta base is versatile—try swapping the orange zest for lemon or grapefruit, or use different seasonal fruit for macerating like peaches, raspberries, or blackberries.
• Check out this video for tips on how to get the most out of your citrus zest!
• Technically, you can use any dairy or non-dairy substitute to make panna cotta. However, dairy alternatives have less fat, and lower fat content will affect the set of the panna cotta. So if you want to play around with your liquids (swapping coconut milk, oat milk, or even fruit purees in for some of the dairy) be aware that the final set of the dessert will be softer and you may need to increase your gelatin slightly to compensate.
• Want to unmold your panna cotta? To release, dip the ramekin into hot water for 5–10 seconds, then invert onto a plate. This is best done after the panna cotta has set overnight.