Easy no-bake desserts for summer celebrations

These chilled and frozen desserts are perfect for summer, and you won't have to turn the oven on to prep them.

From lamington-inspired ice cream cakes to refreshing fruit granitas, here are seven no-bake desserts from Hetty Lui McKinnon, Julia Busuttil Nishimura, Annabel Crabb and Heidi Sze. 

Lamington ice cream cake

Hetty Lui McKinnon's ice cream cake is low effort, maximum reward, making it perfect for summer gatherings. The only cooking involved is toasting some coconut flakes and making a simple chocolate ganache to coat the finished ice cream cake.

Cheesecake with a browned butter and almond crust

You won't need any special equipment to make this fridge-set cheesecake — just a mixing bowl, spoon and saucepan — which will save on washing up. Heidi Sze uses almond meal and flaked almonds in the base and once set, the cheesecake is a creamy blank canvas for your favourite toppings.

Black Forest tiramisu 

If you're making dessert for a smaller group, Annabel Crabb's Black Forest tiramisu serves four. Tinned cherries, dark chocolate and blackcurrant liqueur bring the Black Forest flavours to this dessert. They're assembled in individual glasses, leaving little to do when it comes time to serve.

Matcha tiramisu 

Matcha lattes were everywhere this year, which is why we asked Hetty Lui McKinnon to create a matcha-misu. She uses Greek yoghurt and sour cream in place of mascarpone, bringing lightness to this dessert. There are tips for making this one vegan or gluten-free if needed.

Mango, coconut and ginger trifle

Make the most of mango season and try Hetty Lui McKinnon's fun take on trifle. It uses gingernut biscuits in place of cake and a coconut chia seed pudding instead of cream, jelly and custard, making this dessert vegan. Toasting coconut flakes is the only cooking involved and it could even pass as a decadent breakfast or addition to a brunch spread.

Raspberry and crème fraîche semifreddo

A semifreddo translates to semi-frozen and this creamy dessert comes close to making ice cream at home, without requiring special equipment. You can serve it like ice cream, in scoops, or serve it sliced with extra berries.

Watermelon and rose granita

There are just five ingredients in this recipe from Julia Busuttil Nishimura. They're blitzed together in a blender or food processor, and frozen in a tray. Simply scrape the mixture with a fork regularly over a 3–4 hour period (this stops it from becoming a single ice block), before serving this refreshing and light dessert.