The weather has certainly ramped up over the last few weeks, but you won't hear us complaining! 
A sunny day means just one thing... BBQ's galore. And with a BBQ comes the expectation of desserts, and plenty of them. However, the heat makes baking a sweaty chore rather than a fun pastime. 

Here's just a few of our favourite summer desserts that will help keep you cool during even the sunniest of days!

Eton Mess

Eton Mess is a summer classic, and for a very good reason! Strawberries, cream, and meringue - what's better than that? So simple, yet so tasty. We're sure you know how to make Eton Mess, but here's our recipe in case it's your first time. 

Prep Time: 10 mins
Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients

- 1 Punnet of Strawberries
- Large tub of double cream or whipping cream
- 8 meringues

Method

Whip your cream with a hand whisk until it forms 'stiff peaks' and looks thicker. This may take a few minutes, especially if you're doing it by hand, but hang in there! 

Once your cream is nicely whipped, simply cut up your strawberries into halves or quarters and break the meringue into pieces. Stir the ingredients together in a large bowl and serve.

Raspberry Cheesecake 

Raspberries are in their peak season right now, and they taste fantastic in any dessert, but you can't beat a cheesecake on a warm summer's day. Here's a quick recipe for those raspberries you've picked from the garden (or the supermarket!). 

Prep Time: 10 mins

Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients

• 170g digestive biscuits
• 85g unsalted butter
• 150g greek yoghurt
• 350g cream cheese
• 150ml double cream
• 70g caster sugar
• 250g raspberries
• 1 lemon, squeezed and zested
• Icing sugar for decoration

Method

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the crushed digestives until combined with the butter, coating each crumb. You can crush digestives by popping them in a food blender or putting them in a ziplock back and smacking them with a rolling pin.

Line the bottom of a cake tin with greaseproof paper. This makes it easier to clean and to remove from the tin. Pour your biscuit mix into the pan, moulding it to the shape of the tin. Make sure it’s relatively even, then pop it in the fridge or freezer to help it set.

Mix your yogurt, cream, and cream cheese together with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Pour in half your raspberries and combine. Pour this mixture over your biscuit base, returning it back to the fridge or freezer to set fully. This might take about 3-4 hours.

Easy Mixed Berry Trifle

And finally, is any al-fresco dining complete without a trusty trifle? We don't think so! This easy mixed berry trifle takes just 25-30 minutes to put together, perfect for a last minute addition to your menu. 

Prep Time: 30 mins

Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients

- 200g tin peach slices in fruit juice, drained
- 500g pack frozen black forest fruits
- 200g raspberry swiss roll
- 300ml fresh whipping cream
- 30g soft amaretti biscuits, with extra for decorating
- 1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- Medium tub of custard (vanilla is preferable)

Method

Put your frozen fruit into a bowl, leaving some to the side for decoration. Add your drained peach slices and the icing sugar. Leave to the side to let the fruit defrost. Whip your cream until it forms semi-stiff peaks.

Arrange your Swiss rolls at the bottom of a trifle dish, followed by the biscuits. If your fruit is defrosted, add that on top. Cover with your custard, and finally, spoon your whipped cream on top. For a final flourish, add some left over berries and some crushed up biscuits.