2 Cakes and Sherbet: simple, refreshing cold treats to get me through the hottest summer days

With temperatures and heat indices soon to be in the triple digits (at least where I live), these cold, fruity desserts will quench your sweet tooth and cool you down. Any of these easy desserts can be whipped up in minutes and their fresh flavors are just right for the season.

As much as I love summer, the heat gets to me; every year I say to myself, “…whow is it so hot so early last year?” (Yes, it was.) I can already feel my enthusiasm for getting things done outside waning, and this week we got our first taste of summer temperatures along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

I think this time of year is the best for lounging—whether by the pool or the beach, by the bay or along a creek or lake—basically any cool, breezy place where you can get away from work and be comfortable. Although these days, lounging doing Sudoku in bed after an afternoon nap sounds almost as wonderful as winning the lottery. Until I get used to the heat, it’s pretty much my fantasy and I wish I could stay home in the AC until sunset.

These desserts have been with me forever and even though I make them at other times of the year, they are really perfect when it’s hot outside. Each of them is a part of what summer tastes like to me. They remind me of drifting off to spend long, languid days on the beach or dock reading, almost lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves coming ashore. No stress from exams or deadlines, no worries about aging loved ones, no worries about work or kids – that was summer for me for so many years of my life.

I am thinking about Millionaire pie like my mom because she made it popular in my family, but it was my great aunt, aunt ruth, who brought this pie into our lives. I remember loving it when I first tasted it, I had never had anything like it before. But my mind was blown when I did it with my mother, who explained to me how the lemon juice “cooks” it and thickens as it cools in the fridge. It’s a pie that’s made all year round, but summer is the perfect time to try it.

Frozen Key Lime Pie is a two-ingredient cake – three if you count the pie crust. It has a strong lime flavor, and because it’s made with yogurt rather than milk, cream, or condensed milk, it’s my favorite choice when I need something. sans traditional dairy. I’ve made it over the years using goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and every type of plant-based yogurt known to man without losing it. It’s the easiest thing in the world to put together: It’s light, refreshing, and enjoyable Millionaire pieyou will share the recipe with everyone who tries it.

Fruit sorbet, I have no doubt it will become a favorite. You don’t need an ice cream maker — just some time in the freezer. Its preparation is also easy and will please every palate. I’m sharing the original recipe here, but when making it I reduce the sugar by about half or to taste. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking before freezing.

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My summer days aren’t as carefree, relaxed, or as slow as the summer days of my youth, but the heat slows me and my husband down. . . just a little bit. The sun shines longer, our schedules are more flexible, and we tend to finish days later than the rest of the year. Most evenings we opt for a light and simple dinner, and after the day’s heat subsides, we move to the porch for a cold dessert. Sitting in the big rockers under the fans, we chat, but mostly listen to the hums, clicks, and hoots of the nocturnal creatures that come to life once the sun goes down completely. With childlike exuberance, we watch the reflection of the moon glistening on the water and the glowing beetles scurry among the pines, oaks and magnolias while enjoying a piece of cake, sherbet or ice cream.

Sometimes I need to remind myself how good life really is, and these familiar, comforting desserts—along with sitting on the porch, gazing at the stars, and immersing myself in nature, with my feet in the sand or grass—do that for me. Like most people, I get caught up in worrying and worrying about things I can’t control or change, but these summer flavors (and this Millionaire pie specifically) that I shared with the people I loved most in this world brought me back to what’s important: Slowing down, spending time with the people, pets, and creatures you love, and enjoying where you live.

I hope you take the time this summer to waste a day or two, surrender to the heat, and let it sap your energy enough to not worry or fret. Soak up the beauty of the season, stay out of the kitchen as much as you can, and treat yourself to one of these delicious cold desserts.