Fourth of July Desserts and Treats to Keep You Cool

Ingredients:

1 cup cubed peeled ripe papaya

¼ cup calamansi or lemon juice

1 cup simple syrup (equal parts of sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves)

2 cups crushed ice

½ cup milk

2 tbsp. yellow gulaman/unflavored gelatin

Procedure:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until mixture forms a thick icy slush. Pour into a shake glass and serve with a straw.

Fresh Avocado Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 cups ripe avocadoes

1 cup all purpose cream

2 cups condensed milk

Procedure:

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a clean container and put in the freezer. Serve when already set, top with cornflakes cereals and chocolate syrup.

Hawiian grape slush

Ingredients:

1 cup pineapple tidbits

½ cup seedless grapes, washed

½ cup simple syrup

2 cups crushed ice

Procedure:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth pour into a shake glass and serve with straw.

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

1 can lychees in syrup - 567 grams

3 young coconuts or buko

½ cup unflavored gelatin

½ cup sugar

For the dressing:

1 cup all purpose cream

½ cup condensed milk

1 ½ nata de coco

Optional:

Corn flakes cereals

Fried pinipig

Procedure:

1. Drain lychees into quarters and set aside. Drain juice from coconuts and reserve for later use. Scrape the coconuts or buko into strips or scoop out using stainless steel spoon. Blanc buko in boiling water and set aside.

2. Combine the lychees syrup and enough buko juice to total 5 ½ cups liquid set aside.

3. Combine gelatin and sugar and mix well. Allow the gelatin to bloom and cook over low heat without boiling until both gelatin abd the sugar dissolved completely. Transfer to a glass dish and chill until firm. Cut into cubes and set aside.

4. Combine the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cubed gelatin, lychees and buko.

5. Toss gently to combine and chill before serving. For interesting texture, top each serving with cornflakes or sprinkle it with crisp fried pinipig before serving.