- I enjoy baking with olive oil because it brings a really unique, delicious flavor to baked goods when used properly. Drizzle and Dip definitely used it in exactly the right way with this Olive Oil Chiffon Cake recipe. The airy cake is flavored with olive oil and fresh orange juice that translate into a cake that is light in texture but rich in flavor. It is served with honey, ricotta cheese and fresh stone fruit for an alternative to strawberry shortcake, which is usually the go-to dessert of summer.
- If you’re in the mood for a dessert that is over-the-top, look no further than The Sugar Coated Cottage‘s Banana Split Macarons. Instead of being sandwiched with velvety chocolate ganache or a pillow of buttercream, these classic French cookies are stacked into an amazing twist on a soda fountain classic. Start with one homemade macaron, then add slices of ripe banana, scoops of vanilla ice cream, fresh raspberry sauce and whipped cream. The finishing touches are a drizzle of chocolate, a sprinkle of chopped nuts and a single maraschino cherry. It’s almost too pretty to eat.
- I enjoy desserts that incorporate mint during the summer. The flavor always seems to bring a cooling element into any dessert I find it in – even if that dessert is an impressive layer cake, like the Mint Cookies n’ Cream Cake from The Cake Blog. This impressive dessert starts with a buttery white cake that is generously studded with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies. The layers are stacked together with a fluffy mint frosting, then finished with a coating of the mint frosting that has had more crushed chocolate cookies added in. A chocolate glaze gives this cake a finished look and adds an extra bite of chocolate to each slice.
- No bake desserts are always a good choice during the summer, when it often seems to hot outside to risk turning on the oven. GI 365‘s No-Bake Coconut Lime Tart is a wonderful summer alternative to a traditional baked tart, it delivers the delicious taste of the tropics in each bite and won’t heat up your kitchen in the process of making it! The crust is made with shredded coconut and macadamia nuts, with a bit of maple syrup added to sweeten the ingredients and help them come together. Lime zest is added to the crust, complimenting the creamy filling that is made with lime juice, cream of coconut and avocado, which gives the filling a lovely green color and hints at the lime.
- Over at Modern Tiki, I shared a recipe for Paradise Beach Punch, a tropical punch that is perfect for just about any summer occasion. The base is a blend of pineapple, lime and passion fruit, accented with rum and a bit of spice. The best part about this recipe is its versatility: it can easily be made into a non-alcoholic drink any kids in the group or for those adults who prefer something a little lighter alongside their favorite summer cookout dishes.
What do you think?