Round off your next al fresco meal with one of these fresh and fruity desserts. 

Blackberries, strawberries, gooseberries, cherries and plums – these delicious fruits, and many more, are ripe and ready to pick in summer.

They taste great on their own and can also be the star ingredient in many different desserts. 

If you’re entertaining over the next few months, try one of these fruity summertime creations.

Home-made ice cream

You don’t need a fancy gadget or bulging biceps to make delectable ice cream at home. 

Google ‘no churn ice cream’ and you’ll find hundreds of recipes that don’t require an ice cream maker or hours of churning by hand.

The secret to no churn ice cream is to get the base right. 

It should include whipped double cream and condensed milk (hey, no one said it was low calorie). 

You can then add fruity flavourings of your choice. 

Why not try traditional raspberry ripple ice cream? Simply make a raspberry coulis and then add it to the base.

Or, if you’re a fan of beach cocktails, Nigella’s no churn pina colada ice cream will put a smile on your face.

Pavlova

The Aussies have summertime entertaining down to a fine art.

And no barbecue down under is complete without a pav for pudding.

The mix of meringue, cream and seasonal fruit (to cut through the rich sweetness) is a national favourite.

Pavlova purists believe the only fair dinkum topping is fresh passionfruit. 

Although many people also add blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for colour and variety.

Iced lollies

Frozen yoghurt iced lollies are the ideal summer treat for kids – and the health conscious.

For a refreshing pudding or afternoon treat, blend seasonal fruit with Greek vanilla yoghurt, pour the mix into iced lolly moulds and freeze.

If you want your iced lollies to be Instagram-worthy, as well as delicious, layer different blends of fruit.

Simply pour in one layer of, for example, banana-yoghurt mix, and freeze it. 

Then add subsequent layers of mango, strawberry and kiwi (freezing each layer as you go).

For inspiration, check out the very pretty rainbow fruit lollies on the BBC Good Food website.

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