Desserts that Food Network Staffers Can’t Wait to Make this Summer

Summer is here and Food Network staffers dish on which recipes they can't wait to make this season.

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Strawberry Sorbet

Alton Brown's Summer Sorbet For Summer Produce Guide as seen on Food Network

Photo by: Stephen Johnson ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Summer means trips to the beach, picnics, barbecues, family vacations and spending time outside. For us at Food Network it also means whipping up seasonal favorites, like cobblers and shortcakes, and experimenting with new recipes that we're super excited to try out. Read on to see which desserts Food Network staffers can’t wait to make this summer.

I can never have enough strawberries, so when summer rolls around and they’re in season, I stock up and mostly eat them fresh, but I can't say no to a strawberry sorbet either.

-- Juliann Tang, Director, Digital Partnerships and Strategy
Strawberry-Pretzel Trifles

These single-serve trifles are like a combination of strawberry pretzel salad--a gelatin concoction that I grew up eating giant spoonfuls of in the 90s-- and cheesecake. It’s rich without being too heavy for summer and the strawberry sauce can totally be stolen for other desserts, even shortcake.

-- Leah Brickley, Senior Editor, Culinary
Easy Peach Cobbler

Description: Trisha Yearwood's Easy Peach Cobbler. Keywords: Peaches, Butter, Self-Rising Flour, Sugar, Milk, Whipping Cream

Photo by: Matt

Matt

I was probably 13 when I first made peach cobbler with my cousin one summer, from a recipe we found on the back of a margarine package (back when people used to cook with margarine). Horrified, we poured the lumpy batter into the pool of butter and watched the mixture come to life, animated, like the Loch Ness Monster. On that hot summer day in my mother’s kitchen, Becky and I pulled the beauty out of the oven – as if out of thin air – and relished in the rewards we were somehow able to reap from a mere can of syrupy peaches.

-- Eric Kim, Manager, Digital Programming
Watermelon Granita

Photo by: Alice Gao ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Alice Gao, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Watermelon granita is the most refreshing summer dessert. Freeze it solid and then when you're ready to eat it at a picnic or the beach, it's the perfect consistency!

-- Kari McMinn, Senior Product Manager
S’mores Icebox Cake

Photo by: JOHNNY MILLER

JOHNNY MILLER

As a kid, there was nothing better than sweet, messy s’mores by the campfire -- or patio fire pit! -- on a summer night. This year, I can’t wait to make this S’mores Icebox Cake from Food Network Magazine. It’s got all the marshmallow-y, chocolate-y goodness of a s’more combined with the cooling effect of a traditional icebox cake. Topped off with some toasted marshmallows, this is an ideal grown-up version of my childhood favorite.

-- T.K. Brady, Online Editor, Food Network Magazine
Pecan Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Photo by: STEVE GIRALT

STEVE GIRALT

I got an ice cream maker a few years ago as a present and swore up and down that I would make ice cream all the time and we’d never have to buy from the store again. Lies. It sits in the box for most of the year, so I try to start every summer with at least one batch of homemade ice cream. This year my family requested rum raisin, so I pulled the ice cream maker from the basement and I’m going to try out Ina’s take on the classic ice cream flavor.

-- Julie Hines, Recipe Asset Coordinator
Blackberry Cobbler

WU-0105_dessert-plate

A cobbler works with each summer fruit. It's simple, it's not fussy for those of us who cannot make a pretty pie crust and most importantly, it's delicious!

-- Liesel Kipp, VP Product Management
Peach Crisp

LR0105_peach-crisp

Peach Crisp

Photo by: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne

Tara Donne, Tara Donne

Peach Crisp reminds me of summer days in my youth at my grandmother’s, rocking on her porch with a homemade fruit treat, made with much love and care. Anne’s version is an updated peach cobbler with a modern twist, crisp style. I can’t wait to try this recipe.

-- Don Berry, Online Editor

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