Cooking for a crowd this weekend? Try these easy summer desserts

Whether you're catering a communion or getting the family together for an al fresco feast, these easy desserts will impress without causing you stress

Colm O'Gorman's strawberry and rhubarb pavlova. Photo; Mary Browne

Lime and ginger cheesecake

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Velvety smooth, with warm ginger tones and a citrus kick, this decadent dessert is perfect for hot summer nights

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 3 hours 15 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 15 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 75g butter

• 200g ginger nut biscuits, crushed into crumbs

• 300g Mascarpone

• 400g cream cheese

• 160g icing sugar

• zest of 6 limes

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Line the base of a 9 inch round loose-base or spring-form tin with baking parchment.

2. Melt the butter gently in a saucepan and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mixture into the base of the tin, pressing it down well. Place in the fridge to harden.

3. Blend the Mascarpone, cheese and icing sugar with a hand whisk until they are completely combined. Stir in the zest and vanilla essence.

4. Spread the cheese mixture over the cold base and cool in the fridge for about three hours. Sprinkle with some extra lime zest before serving, if you wish.

Rhubarb Eton mess

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

A seasonal twist on a classic, this dessert is easy to put together and a real crowd-pleaser

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 350g rhubarb

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 3-4 tbsp water

• 300ml double cream

• 1 packet of meringue nests or 2 large Italian style meringues

• zest of 1 orange

Method

1. Trim the rhubarb and cut into short pieces about 1 inch long. Place in a small pan with water and sugar and cook in a medium high heat until the rhubarb has lost its shape and become like a sort of thick compote. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl whisk the cream until thick and forming gentle peaks with your whisk. Be very careful not to over whisk; you want a nice softly whisked cream and not something on its way to butter.

3. Break up the meringue with your hands and combine with the cream, gently using a large spoon.

4. When the rhubarb has cooled, carefully swirl into the cream and meringue mixture and serve either in a large serving platter or individually with a little grated orange zest on top.