No bake sweets to beat the heat

When it’s brutally hot outside, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven. But when you still want a sweet treat to end the meal, you may be tempted to fire it up, especially when you have a hankering for a pie made with the delicious fruits you plucked from your garden or the farmers’ market. Luckily there are many alternative desserts to make that don’t require an oven. For starters, Food Network has 7 no-bake sweets that are literally “no sweat.”

They start off their list with an icebox cake from Ina Garten (pictured above). Icebox cakes use an overnight stay in the refrigerator to meld common pantry staples like graham crackers or cookies with whipped cream or other liquids to form a unified whole that slices and eats like a regular cake. Although icebox cakes have been around for a long time, there are many modern interpretations so you’re sure to find one that fits your palate. The EYB Library contains nearly 90 different online recipes for icebox cakes.

Pies can also be constructed without the need for an oven. With press-in cookie crusts and chilled fillings, you can still enjoy a slice without heating up your kitchen. Some favorite no-bake pies include peanut butter, key lime, and white chocolate. Sorbet is another refreshing no-bake treat. The possibilities for flavor combinations here are almost limitless. Popular sorbet recipes in the Library include mango, chocolate raspberry, and strawberry-rhubarb.