Its summertime, so that means light and tasty desserts are in full swing. Emma Parkin gives us some refreshing recipes, so chill out and try these yummy treats!

Scrumptious summer desserts!

Strawberry tart
Serves 8 Pastry
200g unsalted butter (straight from the fridge)
100g caster sugar
1 egg
300g plain flour

Topping
200g raspberries
1tbsp icing sugar
500g strawberries, washed, hulled and thinly sliced

Pastry cream
500ml milk
1 vanilla pod, split
6 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
50g cornflour
125ml cream

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Make the pastry first. Cream the butter and sugar and then mix in the egg. Carefully fold in the flour and mix until it forms a dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for one hour.
2. Knead the dough until it softens and roll out. Line a greased tart tin with the pastry, prick the base with a fork and place the tart case in the freezer for 15 minutes.
3. Then bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and light golden. Cool on a wire rack. Carefully remove the case from the tin once cooled.
4. Next, make the topping. Place the raspberries in a sieve over a bowl and force them through with a spoon. Once most of the raspberry pulp is in the bowl, stir in the icing sugar. Toss the strawberries in the raspberry sauce and set aside.
5. Then make the pastry cream. Bring the milk and vanilla pod to just below boiling point. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until thick. Pour in the milk (vanilla pod removed) and whisk until smooth.
6. Pour the mixture back in the pot and stir constantly over a low to medium heat until the pastry cream has come to the boil, has thickened and is smooth.
7. Pour into a clean bowl and beat well for one minute. Strain the pastry cream through a sieve into another bowl.
8. When the pastry cream is cold, beat the cream until it is thick and mix it gently into the pastry cream to lighten it.
9. Fill the pastry case with this mixture and smooth out the surface. Arrange the strawberry slices in concentric circles on the top. Serve immediately.

1. Put the water in a bowl. Add gelatine and stir until melted. Beat egg yolks with caster sugar until smooth. Beat rinds and juice in and add gelatine slowly. Leave in the fridge until it starts to set.
2. Whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold into mixture. Pour into a bowl and leave to set. Serve with blueberries and cream.

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• Antipasto is an Italian term that literally means ‘before the meal,’ and refers to foods served as appetisers.
• One of the rules of chopstick etiquette involves not waving them in the air while you're talking.
• The first mention of bagels goes back to 1610, when they were given as gifts to Polish women during childbirth.