Life
11 Essential Frozen Treats to Keep You Cool, from Granita to Semifreddo
We’re all about eating with the seasons. You know, like warm, gooey cookies in the fall and crème brûlée in the winter. And now that the sun is out, it’s time for everything iced, frozen, and churned. Bring out the ice cream maker — it’s brain freeze season.
You already love gelato. And we know you have popsicles stashed in the back of your freezer. But how about semifreddo? Granita? And what’s the difference between sorbet and sherbet? There’s a whole world of frozen treats just waiting to be discovered — so we broke down our favorites, from classic custards to your new best friends.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Ice Cream
Let’s start at the beginning, with this olive oil cream over at Adventures in Cooking. It’s essentially a custard (yolks, milk, sugar, and cream) that’s cooled and churned into a tasty, lickable treat.
Image: Adventures in Cooking
Ice Cream, Pt. 2
Because you can never have too much ice cream, here’s one with bits of cinnamon roll and chocolate chips — all drizzled in a brown butter sauce. Thanks, Half Baked Harvest!
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Ice Cream Sandwich
How do you make brown sugar and bacon ice cream better? If you’re I Am a Food Blog, you sandwich it between two wafers, roll it in bacon bits, and call it a day.
Image: I Am a Food Blog
Gelato
Think of gelato as ice cream’s Italian cousin — with less fat (go easy on the cream) and less air churned into the base. Stateside, some sneaky shops will use “ice cream” and “gelato” interchangeably…but now, you know better. Savory Simple has the recipe.
Image: Savory Simple
Affogato
An affogato takes gelato to the next level by drowning it in hot espresso. Jelly Toast adds a shot of Bailey’s Irish cream to hers — and it’s like a milkshake on steroids.
Image: Jelly Toast
Semifreddo
Translated from Italian, semifreddo means half cold — but we think it’s all delicious. Unlike its fully frozen counterparts, semifreddo skips the custard in favor of whipped cream or meringue, which is then frozen. Brown Eyed Baker whips up a strawberry-pistachio version that’s perfect for spring.
Image: Brown Eyed Baker
Sorbet
For our dairy-free friends, sorbet is godsend. It’s made without dairy and churned into creamy goodness, like this pinot noir and raspberry treat from Hummingbird High.
Image: Hummingbird High
Sherbet
It may sound like sorbet, but make no mistake: sherbet often contains dairy to make it extra creamy. Brown Eyed Baker churns buttermilk into her blueberry confection.
Image: Brown Eyed Baker
Granita
The best part about granitas? There’s no churning involved. Lady and Pups brews a strong tea with ground leaves, tosses it in the freezer, and simply scrapes it with a fork.
Image: Lady and Pups
Snow Cones
Like its friend, the granita, snow cones get their bite from thick ice crystals — but they’re a blank canvas until you drizzle on your syrup of choice. Thanks, A Pastry Affair!
Image: A Pastry Affair
Popsicles
Oh, the popsicle — that harbinger of warm weather. You probably chased after the ice cream truck for one of these, but now, you’ll make them at home. Good Life Eats dips hers in decadent dark chocolate.
Image: Good Life Eats
