We’re sure that like us you’ve figured out that ice cream is as comforting in the rain as it is on a gloriously sunny day. So take a tub of vanilla ice cream and.

Summertime trifle

Layer slices of your favourite rum cake in a glass dish and scatter over a handful of cherries. Spoon over bought custard to cover, top with scoops of ice cream then drizzle with your favourite sauce.

Frozen Bailey’s cocktail

In a blender, whiz together 4 scoops of ice cream, 50ml Bailey’s, 100ml milk and a little ice. Pour into glasses and serve straight away.

Cooling coffee shots

Pop a scoop of ice cream in a small cup or heatproof glass. Top with a shot of espresso coffee and crumble an amaretti biscuit over it.

Pain au chocolat sandwich

Warm a pain au chocolat for a few minutes, cut in half and sandwich a scoop of ice cream between the cut halves.

Ice cream puffs

Cut 6 thick slices from your favourite loaf cake and arrange on a baking tray. Beat 4 egg whites until stiff, then gradually beat in 85g caster sugar until stiff again.

Top the cake with summer berries and a scoop of ice cream then spread over the meringue, ensuring there are no gaps. Bake at 220ºC/fan 200ºC/gas 7 for 5 mins until the meringue is lightly browned.

Classic banana split

Slice 1 banana in half lengthways. Arrange in a bowl with scoops of ice cream between the two slices of banana. Top with whipped cream, hot chocolate sauce, flaked almonds and a cherry.

Maple and pecan pancakes

Lightly toast a Scotch pancake, top with a scoop of ice cream, maple syrup and a small handful of chopped pecans.

Ice cream tips:

For the perfect ball of ice cream, get your tub out of the freezer 10 minutes before you want to eat and dip your scoop in hot water between uses. If you really want to keep your ice cream in tip-top condition, cover it with a layer of greaseproof paper before putting on the lid.

To save time when you’re throwing a large children’s party, you can ball up your ice cream in advance and return it to the freezer in a single layer on greaseproof paper. When it’s time for dessert, the balls can be arranged in a bowl or dished out individually.

Three quick toppings:

Speedy strawberry sauce

Blitz together 200g strawberries and 85g strawberry jam until smooth. Sieve to remove the pips, if you wish.

Hot chocolate sauce

Melt together 100g dark chocolate, 4 tbsp double cream and 1 tbsp golden syrup. Stir in 2 tbsp of boiling water to make a smooth sauce. Drizzle warm over the ice cream.

Nutty brandy-snap sprinkles

In a food processor, whizz together 25g brandy snaps, 50g dark chocolate, 25g hazelnuts and 25g almonds.

Sprinkle over ice cream. Keep any extra in a freezer bag for use another time.

– BBC Good Food