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Cooling off during the summer can feel like too much work and wear you out. As the mercury begins to rise, you find yourself making multiple trips to the freezer to get a taste of colourful frozen desserts that you can relish at leisure. From fruity to decadent and even sinful at times, here is a full list of cold treats to enjoy while staying indoors and being away from the sun.
Ice Gola
Image Credits: JesVenues
Possibly one of the most popular summer treats in India, the ice gola is shaved ice which is doused in colourful flavoured syrups like raw mango, orange and kaala khatta and sprinkled with a couple of pinches of black salt. Although primarily sweet tasting, the ice gola also has hints of tangy, savoury and citrus flavours.
Gelato
The popular Italian ice cream, gelato is denser and creamier than the standard ice-cream that is available in supermarkets. Unlike most ice creams, gelato has an ‘elastic’ texture and uses more milk and less cream, when compared to regular ice cream. Due to its lower fat content, the flavours of gelato seem more intense.
Sherbet
Image Credits: Southern Living
A frozen dessert that is typically made with a fruit base, touch of dairy and sugar, the sherbet is lighter on the palette than ice cream. Limited to mainly fruit flavours, sherbet is ideal to serve when slightly thawed before consuming due to its tendency to become hard and difficult to eat.
Granita
A chunky dessert made with water, sugar and flavourings, the granita is a dairy-free dessert than can be enjoyed by people who are vegan or lactose-intolerant. The traditional Sicilian dessert has fresh flavours like lime, grapefruit, orange, jasmine and even almonds. The granita is eaten for breakfast along with a piece of eggy brioche bread dipped into it as a popular staple in Sicily.
Sorbet
This frozen dessert is usually made up of just pureed fruit or fruit juice mixed with a sweetener. Eaten as a palette cleanser between meal courses, this 17th century discovery, sorbet is light on the palette and in texture due to the complete absence of dairy. However, spiking it with a bit of tequila or rum is also a great way to make this dessert for adults, to enjoy in the summer.
Kulfi
Image Credits: Vismai Foods
Denser and creamier than standard ice cream, kulfi is a popular Indian dessert with Mughal origins. Made with rich ingredients like saffron, dry fruits and full fat milk, many variations of this dessert like matka kulfi and falooda are delicious ways to enjoy this treat.
