Frozen Almond & Chocolate Cupcakes
	Prep. time: 20 min. Freezing time: 2 hrs. Yields: 12 servings.
	Base:  4 cups (1 l) vanilla ice cream, softened 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground almonds 1/2 cup (125 ml) chocolate, grated Frosting:  1/2 cup (125 ml) chocolate chips 1/2 cup (125 ml) cocoa powder 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, at room temperature 8 oz (250 g) Canadian cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup (250 ml) icing sugar A pinch of salt
	Line a 12-muffin pan with foil or silicone muffin cups and set aside. In a bowl, combine ice cream with ground almonds and grated chocolate. Fill muffin cups with ice cream, using an ice cream scoop, and freeze for 2 hours. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, and add butter and cocoa powder. Mix cream cheese with icing sugar and salt, add the chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. You also could use a plastic bag (Ziploc® type), from which you will have to cut one of the lower corners diagonally. Before serving, remove ice cream from the freezer, which is the base of the cake, and top with frosting. Serve immediately.

Frozen treats can be fun ways to beat the heat, especially when you try some new twists.

Frozen Almond and Chocolate Cupcakes are a great example. You use a mixture of vanilla ice cream, ground almonds and grated chocolate for the cupcake base, with a chocolate cream-cheese frosting.

This recipe from Dairy Farmers of Canada gives kids a chance to help decorate the frozen cupcakes, adding sprinkles or other toppings. Chocolate lovers also may enjoy Frozen Chocolate Fruitsicles. You can put pieces of fruit, such as strawberries, peaches and bananas, on bamboo skewers or Popsicle sticks. Then, you dip the fruit in a melted chocolate mixture, and freeze for about an hour.

Do you like smoothies for breakfast or snacks? There are convenient frozen versions, such as Just Peachy Frozen Smoothie Pops, with fresh, canned or frozen peaches or apricots, milk and yogurt. Or, maybe try the Banana Pineapple, a good way to use up ripe bananas.

You can keep Frozen Smoothie Pops on hand in the freezer for up to two weeks. There is a how-to video at www.dairygoodness.ca, where you also can find these recipes and more summertime treats.