Summer calls for fun, no-fuss food that frees you up to enjoy the outdoors. Georgina Hayden shows how to stay chilled in the kitchen, even during a heatwave

Chewy peanut butter cookie and plum ice cream sandwiches

Summer pudding arctic roll

I adore summer and love cooking but, truth be told, I don’t enjoy the two together. When the sun’s shining I’d rather be outside socialising and eating than in a hot kitchen – and I suspect I’m not the only one who feels this way. But that doesn’t mean you have to exist on salads and dips, great as they are. With a little organisation it’s possible to make food that benefits from being served chilled. Light and refreshing on a hot day, it requires a lot less effort in the kitchen. If you have children at home for the school holidays, these recipes are a great way to rope in young helpers, as none is particularly complicated.

When the weather’s glorious I keep a jug of almond salmorejo soup in the fridge as my go-to lunch. The crab rolls feel decadent but are incredibly easy and, while the peanut butter biscuits are usually scoffed straightaway, any leftover plum ice cream makes a perfect after-dinner sweet fix. Finally, the arctic roll is the ideal make-ahead pud. Prepare it in advance and you’ll have a showstopper dessert ready to pull from the freezer with minimal fuss (the dream), leaving you more time to be a fabulous host – or simply sit and drink tea in the garden. Enjoy!

RECIPES, STYLING AND FOOD STYLING GEORGINA HAYDEN PHOTOGRAPHS LAURA EDWARDS

Almond salmorejo soup

SERVES 4-6. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 6-8 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 7 MIN

MAKE AHEAD

Complete the recipe to the end of step 4 up to 1 day ahead and keep in the fridge.

KNOWHOW

Salmorejo is a tomatobased Spanish soup from Andalucia, served chilled. Jamon iberico is a high-quality cured ham from Spain. Find it in large supermarkets and delis.