Take it to the fridge, because no bake means no fuss! With these thrifty desserts to celebrate the holidays, you can keep that summer feeling for longer. 

Piña colada mousse 

Serves 4-5 

Swap out the rum for canned pineapple syrup for a booze-free version of this creamy dessert. 

Ingredients

1 cup (250ml) drained crushed pineapple
2 Tbsp (30ml) light rum (optional)
1 Tbsp (15ml) lime juice
2 cans (400g each) coconut cream, refrigerated to ice cold 
1 large slab (150g) white chocolate, chopped
3 large egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of fine salt
½ cup (100g) castor sugar  

For serving

6 fresh pineapple slices
6 fresh or glacé cherries Handful of coconut shavings, toasted
handful of mint  

Method 

1. Combine pineapple, rum (if using) and lime juice and blitz using a stick blender. 

2. Scoop thickened coconut cream off the surface of the can – chilling it in the fridge separates the cream and watery liquid in two parts. (You can freeze the water at the bottom of the can for smoothies.)

3. Whisk coconut cream to medium-soft peaks using an electric whisk.

4. Fold blitzed pineapple mixture into coconut cream, cover and chill.

5. Melt the chocolate (you can use a double boiler or melt it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.) Set aside to cool.

6. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl.

7. Whisk the mixture into medium stiff peaks.

8. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time, allowing sugar to melt away while whisking before adding the next. (Once all the sugar has been added and is dissolved in mixture, the meringue should be glossy instead of foamy.)  

9. Fold coconut cream mixture into the meringue.

10. Mix a third of the meringue into chilled coconut mixture and whisk until combined.

11. Fold the chocolate mixture into remaining meringue until it is well combined.

12. Spoon into glasses and chill for 1 hour.

13. Serve straight out of the fridge, topped with fresh pineapple slices, cherries, coconut shavings and mint. 

Also read: Classic chocolate and biscuit fridge cake

Stone fruit cheesecake tartlets 

Makes 6 

This cheesecake filling is thick and creamy, but doesn’t set firm enough to slice. If you don’t have suitable bowls or tartlet tins, set them in dessert glasses. 

Ingredients

2 packets (200g each) ginger biscuits
1 packet (200g) tennis biscuits
½ block (250g) butter, melted  

For the filling

½ Tbsp vanilla essence
3 tubs (200g) plain medium fat cream cheese
½ cup (100g) castor sugar
1 cup cream
Pinch of ground cinnamon 1-2 Tbsp (15-30ml) lemon juice (or to taste)  

For the topping

½ cup (75g) sugar
¼ cup (60ml) water
1 cinnamon stick (or 1 halved vanilla pod)
3 plums, halved or quartered 3 nectarines, halved or quartered  

Method 

1. Crush the biscuits using a food processor, or place in a zip-seal bag and crush using a rolling pin. Mix with melted butter. 
2. Press biscuit mixture into 6 bowls (about 8cm wide and 5-7cm deep) lined with plastic cling wrap. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes, then unmould by pulling plastic wrap out of bowls. 
3. Place the tartlet bowls on serving platter and keep chilled
4. Blitz together filling ingredients using a stick blender (or use an electrical whisk). Spoon filling into tartlet bowls. Chill until serving. 
5. For the topping, place the sugar and water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is melted, then add cinnamon if using, and fruit.
6. Simmer fruit over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove fruit and reduce to a syrup. Cool the fruit and syrup until ready to serve.
7. Serve tartlets topped with fruit and syrup.  

Jewel jelly slices  

Serves 4-6 

A fun take on a creamy jelly, these jewelled slices combine many different textures that might remind you of gran’s foam pudding.  

Ingredients

3 packets (80g each) red berry jelly
2 cups (500g) double-cream strawberry yoghurt
2 store-bought chocolate muffins, crumbled
¼ cup (60ml) melted butter

Strawberries and chocolate sauce, for serving   

Method 

1. Prepare one packet of jelly to packet instructions and set completely. Cut the jelly into squares and chill. 
2. Add ¾ cup (180ml) boiling water to remaining two packets of jelly powder and whisk until all granules are dissolved. Add another 3⁄4 cup (180ml) ice-cold water. 
3. Combine the jelly into yoghurt. Pour into a 20x8cm loaf tin lined with cling wrap. 
4. Chill for 20-30 minutes until semi-set, then add half the blocks of plain jelly. (These tend to fall to the bottom of the tin, so doing this in two steps ensures jewels throughout.)
5. Chill for another 30 minutes, add remaining jelly blocks and chill until completely set.
6. Combine the muffin crumbs and butter to create a crumble.
7. Unmould the jelly onto a serving plate. Slice and serve scattered with the crumble, strawberries and chocolate sauce.  

Honeycomb rocky road fudge ‘cake’  

Serves 12-14 

This sweet slice has a ganache topping that gives it a chic finish. It’s just as delicious without it, making it thriftier.  

Ingredients

For the filling

1 cup (250g) butter
½ cup (60g) cocoa powder, sifted
1 packet (500g) icing sugar, sifted
2 (80g) crunchie chocolates, broken into small chunks
½  packet (50g) nuts of choice, chopped and toasted
2 packets (200g each) Marie biscuits, roughly crushed  

For the chocolate ganache

200g chopped dark chocolate
2 Tbsp (30ml) cream  

Method 

1. Melt the butter in a large bowl, then mix in the cocoa and icing sugar.
2. Stir in the crunchies, nuts and Marie biscuits.
3. Press the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottom cake tin (or simply use a square dish). Chill in the fridge.
4. Melt the chocolate ganache ingredients over a double boiler (or in the microwave) and whisk until smooth. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly.
5. Spread chocolate ganache over set chocolate fudge.
6. Slice and serve. (Store any leftovers in the fridge.)  

Sunrise panna cotta and jelly 

Serves 4-6 

Take the pressure of unmoulding off – prepare dessert portioned into ramekins and serve as is once set.  

Ingredients 

For the mango panna cotta

1 Tbsp (12g) gelatine powder 1 mango, peeled and puréed 
1 cup (250ml) 100% fresh orange juice 
1/3 cup (67g) sugar
¼ cup (60ml) double-cream plain yoghurt  

For the berry coulis jelly

1 Tbsp (12g) gelatine powder 2 cup (300g) frozen red berries, thawed
¼ cup (50g) sugar
¼ cup (60ml) water
1 packet (80g) red jelly 
225ml boiling hot water 
Cherries for serving (optional)  

Method 

1. For the panna cotta, mix gelatine and 3 Tbsp water and set aside for gelatine to sponge.
2. Combine remaining panna cotta ingredients, mixing until sugar is dissolved.
3. Melt sponged gelatine in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, stirring halfway. Do not let the mixture boil. Stir gelatine into mango mixture.
4. Pour into a 17cm jelly mould (or a cling-wrap lined bread loaf tin of the same size). Chill the panna cotta until semi-set, about 30-60 minutes.
5. For the berry coulis jelly, mix gelatine and 3 Tbsp water and set aside for gelatine to sponge.
6. Blitz together the berries, sugar and water to make a coulis.
7. Melt sponged gelatine in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, stirring halfway. Do not let the mixture boil. Stir gelatine into 1 cup of berry mixture.  
8. Pour the berry mixture onto panna cotta layer, then chill until semi-set, about 30-60 minutes.
9. Prepare the packet of red jelly with the boiling hot water, then add in the leftover 1⁄2 cup (125ml) berry coulis. Mix well and pour onto the semi-set dessert.
10. Chill for 2-3 hours until set, or overnight for best result when unmoulding dessert.
11. To unmould, place a plate on the jelly mould, flip the jelly mould and plate over and remove the lid on mould. (If you’re using a metal mould, run a hot cloth on the outside of the tin, and using a sharp knife, loosen the edges from top to bottom to release the vacuum. Place on a platter and flip over.)
12. Serve chilled, topped with cherries if you like.  

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photographs: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Tropical Pineapple Fridge Tart

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