Dining in Muscat: Keep cool this summer with frozen desserts

Lifestyle Monday 23/May/2016 16:24 PM
By: Times News Service
Dining in Muscat: Keep cool this summer with frozen desserts

As the temperature soars some of of these refreshing homemade frozen desserts become a real treat. Give in to your sweet cravings as it is time to chill.

Pomegranate Gelato
This super easy, no eggs, no cooking, and no churning, fresh pomegranate ice-cream tastes like a lucious pomegranate milk shake
Ingredients
• 3 fresh pomegranates
• 1 lime
• 175g icing sugar
• 500ml double cream
Preparation
•Juice two of the pomegranates and the lime and strain the juices into a large bowl. Save the third pomegranate to use the seeds before serving. Sift in the icing sugar and whisk to dissolve. Feel free to use the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, or use a hand mixer or electric whisk — just be careful as the juice will splatter and can stain.
• Add the double cream to the pomegranate mixture and whisk, using your preferred method, until soft peaks form. Transfer the pomegranate whipped cream to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving to soften, then serve in serving bowls and scatter with seeds of the third pomegranate.

Easy Berry Sorbet
Stockpile seasonal berries and cherries in the form of this incredibly fresh and delicious berry sorbet.
Ingredients
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups water
• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 cups raspberries
• 1-1/2 cups real cherry juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate
Preparation
• Combine sugar and water in a large pot. Boil until the sugar has dissolved completely. Stir in the strawberries and raspberries. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Strain through a strainer. Refrigerate the juice until chilled and toss the pulp. Once the juice has cooled stir in the cherry juice, lime juice, and orange concentrate. • From here you have three options: 1) Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and follow instructions that came with it. 2) Pour into an airtight container. Freeze solid. Blend until smooth and freeze again. 3) Pour into an airtight container and place into the freezer. Whisk every 20 minutes for the first two hours then freeze solid. • Enjoy with a hand full of fresh berries or berry sauce.

Frozen Banana Dessert
Pop bananas in the freezer and ordinary fruit transforms into a healthy dessert with major wow-factor.
Ingredients
• 2-3 large very ripe bananas
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4-5 dry roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
Preparation
•Peel the bananas, cut into slices and place them inside a freezer bag in a single layer. Freeze overnight. Make the chocolate coating by placing the chocolate chips and butter into a bowl. Set this over hot water. You can also microwave and heat 10 seconds at a time until they begin to melt. Remove it from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside. Take the frozen bananas from the freezer and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Divide the banana mixture in two bowls and drizzle each with the chocolate coating . Sprinkle chopped nuts.

Cool Strawberry Bites
Sweet, juicy strawberries dipped into yoghurt make for a quick, tangy frozen treat.
Ingredients
• Yoghurt (Greek preferred)
• Strawberries
Preparation
• Clean and trim the strawberries. You can use them halved or whole.
• Either put the yoghurt in the freezer for a while to thicken it, or use Greek yoghurt as it’s thicker. You can also strain the yoghurt in muslin cloth for a while to release liquid and make it thicker.
• Dip the strawberries in the yoghurt. Place on a wax paper, parchment lined sheet that fits in your freezer and freeze for 4-5 hours.
• Pack in an airtight container for quick treats.
• Serve with a toothpick.