cream.

Whether its a mound of traditional vanilla, a refreshing sorbet or a sinfully rich chocolate concoction, at some point during the long hot summer everyone will reach for a scoop of ice cream.

If you feel really adventurous, perhaps you might want to try to make some homemade ice cream. Here are a few recipes to help you get started.

BASIC VANILLA ICE CREAM 3 egg yolks, well beaten 2 ounces castor sugar Pinch salt 3 pint (2 cups) single cream Scant 1 pint (1 cup) double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla essence SET the refrigerator at the coldest setting. Combine the beaten egg yolks with the sugar and salt, beating until the sugar dissolves. Heat the single cream in the top of a double saucepan and pour slowly on to the egg and sugar mixture. Strain back into the top of the double saucepan and cook until thickened.

Chill, then blend the double cream with the vanilla and stir into the chilled mixture. Freeze. When half-frozen, remove from the refrigerator and stir.

Return to the refrigerator and stir. Return to the refrigerator and freeze until firm.

Note: Rich milk can be used in place of the single cream. Canned cream has been used for the double cream with good results.

*** BANANA RUM ICE CREAM 6 tablespoons rum 4 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed Pinch salt 1 egg salt Generous 1 pint (3 cup) single cream Generous 1 pint (3 cup) milk SET the refrigerator at the coldest setting. Blend the rum with the mashed bananas and add salt. Stiffly whisk the egg white and fold in. Stir in the cream and milk very slowly until well mixed; a blender, set at medium to avoid over-heating, is best for this. Pour the mixture into the freezing tray, remove from the refrigerator when half-frozen and stir once. Freeze until firm.

Note: All milk may be used instead of half milk and cream and about 12 raisins, soaked in rum to plump them, can be stirred into the half-frozen mixture.

*** ORANGE PEKOE ICE 1 pint (2 cup) boiling water 1 tablespoon orange pekoe tea 4 ounces castor sugar 3 egg yolks, well beaten Finely grated rind 1 lime 1 pint (1 1 cups) double cream, lightly whipped MAKE sure the water is fast boiling, then make the tea. Cover the pot and steep for 10 minutes. While tea is steeping, blend sugar with beaten egg yolks, in the top of a double saucepan. Strain tea and add. Cook, stirring all the time, until thick and creamy. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl, stand on ice and stir until slightly cool, then chill. Fold the lime rind into the cream and stir into the cooled tea mixture. Pour into individual moulds and freeze. When half-frozen, remove from refrigerator and stir. Freeze until firm.

*** MANGO ICE CREAM The number of mangoes depends very much on the type, if using Julies or Bombays, 3 may be enough.

Pinch cream of tartar 8 ounces castor sugar 4 tablespoons water About 4 ripe mangoes Strained juice 1 lime 3 pint (2 cups) double cream, lightly whipped.

Cool down with a nice ice SET refrigerator to coldest setting. Mix the cream of tartar and sugar with the water. Bring to the boil and cook over a low heat, stirring until the syrup thickens. Peel, remove stones, and sieve mangoes; the mangoes should yield about 1 pint (1 1 ) cups) puree. Add mango puree to syrup with lime juice. Stir in cream until well blended. Turn into freezing tray and freeze.

When half-frozen remove from refrigerator and stir. Freeze until firm.

Note: Soursop, rubbed through a sieve, makes a very good ice using this recipe, but the lime juice is not required as the fruit is rather acid. Away from the tropics, use ripe apricots or peaches in exactly the same way and, of course, lemon juice can always take the place of lime.

Recipes from Tropical Island Cooking.

*** CREAMY PEACH FREEZE 1 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product 2 cup sugar 1 1 cups skim milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups mashed peeled peaches (4 to 5 medium)* 2 teaspoon vanilla 2 containers (8 ounces each) peach fat-free yogurt MIX egg product, sugar, milk and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Cook very medium heat, stirring constantly just until bubbles appear around edge. Pour into chilled large metal bowl. Refrigerator 1 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until room temperature.

Stir peaches, vanilla and yogurt into milk mixture. Pour into 1-quart ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directors.

*1 package (16 ounces) frozen sliced peaches, thawed and mashed, can be substituted for the fresh peaches.

*** THREE-BERRY SORBET Sorbet is French for sherbet, Unlike sherbets, however, sorbets do not contain milk or cream, making them the perfect-fat-free frozen dessert.

1 1 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries, partially thawed 1 1 cups frozen unsweetened blackberries, partially thawed 1 1 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries, partially thawed 1 cup orange juice 1 cup maple-flavoured syrup, sugar, honey or packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons frozen (thawed) apple juice concentrate 1 teaspoon vanilla PLACE all ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium-high speed, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until very smooth.

Pour into 1-quart ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Or, pour into loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches. Cover and freeze about 2 hours or until edges are firm but centre is soft. Spoon partially frozen mixture into blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium-high speed until smooth. Pour into pan. Cover and freeze about 3 hours until firm. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before spooning into dessert dishes.

Recipes from Betty Crocker's New Low-Fat Low-Cholesterol Cookbook.