Iced raspberry and peach trifle

You can’t get quicker than this for a pretty, colorful, and tasty party dessert.

* Serves 4

• 4 pieces of pound cake, chopped
• 4 to 8 tbsp. sherry or Marsala
• 7 to 8 tbsp. raspberry jelly
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 firm ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, softening
• 1 cup whipped heavy cream
• fresh raspberries and peach slices, to decorate

Iced strawberry pavlova roll

Melt-in-the-mouth meringue rolled around strawberry sorbet and whipped cream is a star dessert and not as complicated as it looks.

* Serves 6–8

• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups strawberry sorbet
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• confectioners’ sugar, fresh strawberries, and mint leaves, to decorate

Pineapple baked alaska

Most children love the surprise of this dessert — hot meringue with ice-cold ice cream inside. Do use a good firm ice cream, not a soft scoop, to make sure the center doesn’t soften too quickly.

* Serves 6–8

• 1 6 to 8-oz. piece store-bought ginger cake
• 6 slices ripe, peeled pineapple
• 3 cups tutti-frutti gelato, softening
• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• few pieces of fresh pineapple, to decorate

Chocolate bombe

Ice cream bombes look exotic but can be surprisingly simple. Just use a good ice cream for the outer layer, surrounding a light, sweet, mousse filling.

* Serves 6–8

• 1/2 recipe bitter chocolate gelato
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 small egg white
• 1/8 cup superfine sugar
• 4 oz. fresh raspberries, mashed and strained
• 1 recipe raspberry sauce

Chocolate and cherry ice cream gateau

Layers of chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, and sweet black cherry filling make a delicious and stunning centerpiece.

* Serves 8–10

Kumquat gelato

Adding this sweet and sticky, marmalade-style citrus fruit gives an unusual thickness to the ice cream.

Makes about 1 1/2 pints

• 2 cups sliced kumquats
• 2 tbsp. dark rum or orange juice
• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp. hot water
• 1 recipe gelato di crema

Coffee gelato

This is the perfect after-dinner ice cream with a little whipped cream and perhaps a dash of liqueur poured over!

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 1 1/4 cups light cream
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups freshly brewed extra-strong espresso

Tutti-frutti gelato

Add a riot of colors and flavors to a simple gelato and create your own masterpiece.

* Makes about 1 1/2 pints

• 1 recipe gelato di crema
• 1 cup chopped candied, crystallized, or glacéed fruits (cherries, pineapple, citrus peel, ginger)

Lemon gelato

This is a delicately lemon-flavored gelato, perfect to enjoy with fresh fruits. (The photo shows the lemon & mint variation given.)

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 1 recipe light gelato
• 2 unwaxed lemons

Raspberry ripple gelato

When raspberries are at their best, enjoy this brightly colored ice cream bursting with fresh sweet flavor.

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 4 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 recipe gelato di crema

Bitter chocolate gelato

Just as a good chocolate ice cream should be - dark, bitter, and smooth!

* Makes about 2 1/2 pints

• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 7 oz. dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Pistachio gelato

This really is a nut lover’s dream gelato, especially if you make the walnut variation.

* Makes about 1 1/2 pints

• 2 cups shelled pistachios
• a few drops of pure almond extract
• a few drops of pure vanilla extract
• 1 recipe gelato di crema

Luxury vanilla gelato

The very best, warm vanilla flavor is acquired by steeping a vanilla bean in warm milk and then scraping out the tiny black seeds from inside the bean. The seeds give a lovely appearance to the gelato, too.

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whipped

Strawberry gelato

When made with really sweet, ripe strawberries, this gelato is sure to bring back happy memories of childhood. Enjoy it simply on its own.

* Makes about 2 3/4 pints

• 1 recipe gelato di crema
• 3 1/2 cups hulled and chopped fresh strawberries
• 2 tbsp. superfine sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Gelato di crema

This simplest of Italian ice creams is made with a cooked egg custard and cream and can be used as the basis for almost all other gelato flavors. It is also delicious just on its own.

* Makes about 1 1/4 pints

• 2 1/2 cups light cream
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar