Warm afternoons call for a sweet treat. Not necessarily ice cream, but something luscious and refreshing—something that signals a shift in season, when everything starts to feel lighter, fruitier. Our minds drift back to the desserts of childhood, the ones whipped up in a few simple steps in our mothers’ cozy kitchens. Easy treats that required no finesse, only a mother’s will to spoil us, to keep us at home a little longer before we ran out to play.

These are the very recipes we’ve pulled from the nostalgic pantry of our memories—hoping to make this spring feel a bit more tender and a little less polished. Flavors the younger ones will surely love, and that might just send the rest of us on a sweet trip down memory lane.

Biscuit & Caramel Cream Dessert

Prep time: 5’
Chilling time: 2 hrs
Difficulty: *
Serves: 12

Ingredients

  • 1½ packets of petit beurre-style biscuits
  • 1½ liters cold milk, plus a bit extra for soaking biscuits
  • 150 g sugar
  • 150 g cornflour
  • 2 vanilla capsules (optional)
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk, caramelized
  • Pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Warm the caramelized condensed milk in a small saucepan until pourable. Optionally, add a pinch of salt.
  2. In a pot, combine the sugar, vanilla (if using), and 1 liter of milk. In a bowl, whisk the remaining milk with the cornflour until fully dissolved. Add this to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring until the cream thickens. Once it starts to boil, stir in 2 tbsp of the caramel for flavor.
  3. Dip the biscuits briefly in milk and lay them in a 32×25 cm dish. Spread half the cream over them, add another biscuit layer, optionally drizzle some caramel, then cover with the remaining cream. Top with a final biscuit layer.
  4. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, decorate with more caramel, icing sugar, or chocolate flakes.

“Mosaic” Chocolate Biscuit Log

Prep time: 10’
Chilling time: 3 hrs
Difficulty: *
Serves: 15

Ingredients:

  • 150 g butter
  • 200 g sweetened condensed milk
  • 125 g milk or dark chocolate couverture, finely chopped
  • 40 g cocoa powder
  • 70 g chopped nuts
  • 200 ml milk
  • 1½ packets of petit beurre-style biscuits
  • 2 tbsp brandy

Instructions:

  1. Break the biscuits into a bowl and mix with nuts.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the butter, milk, chocolate, and condensed milk over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Add brandy, sift in the cocoa, and stir until thick.
  3. Pour the mixture over the biscuits and nuts. Mix well and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes until slightly firm.
  4. Place the mixture diagonally on baking paper, shape into a log or triangle, and roll tightly. Chill until firm, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze if desired.

Yogurt-Strawberry Jelly Cake

Prep time: 10’
Chilling time: 3 hrs
Difficulty: *
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

For the base:

  • 130 g butter
  • 1 packet petit beurre biscuits

For the cream:

  • 800 g strained yogurt
  • 1 strawberry jelly packet

For the topping:

  • 1 strawberry jelly packet
  • 300 g fresh ripe strawberries

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter. Pulse biscuits in a food processor until powdered. Mix with butter to form a damp sand-like texture. Press into a 32×25 cm dish or 26 cm springform pan. Chill in freezer briefly.
  2. Prepare the jelly following package instructions. Chill until semi-set.
  3. Mix the jelly with yogurt until smooth and pour over the biscuit base. Refrigerate until fully set.
  4. Prepare the second jelly. Let cool. Halve strawberries and arrange over the set cream layer. Carefully spoon the jelly over the fruit and return to the fridge until fully set.

Classic Crème Caramel

Prep time: 15’
Baking time: 45’
Chilling time: 3 hrs
Difficulty: **
Serves: 5

Ingredients

For the caramel:

  • 130 g granulated sugar
  • 40 ml water

For the custard:

  • 400 ml whole milk
  • 100 ml heavy cream (35%)
  • 3 eggs + 1 yolk
  • 80 g sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Lemon peel

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat without stirring—swirl gently until a golden caramel forms. Immediately divide among five ramekins to coat the bottoms.
  2. Beat eggs, yolk, and sugar gently to combine.
  3. Heat milk, cream, vanilla, and lemon peel until just before boiling. Remove peel, then slowly whisk into the egg mixture. Strain and pour into ramekins.
  4. Place ramekins in a baking tray with hot water (bain-marie), cover with foil, and bake at 140°C for 40–45 min. Chill for 3 hrs. To unmold, loosen with a knife and invert onto plates.

Light Vanilla Cream with Strawberries

Prep time: 5’
Chilling time: 1 hr
Difficulty: *
Serves: 5

Ingredients

  • 1 packet vanilla-flavored cornflour dessert mix
  • 40 g sugar
  • 600 ml milk
  • 200 ml cold heavy cream (35%)
  • 250 g strawberries

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vanilla dessert according to the packet with sugar and milk. Pour into a tray, cover with cling film (touching the surface), and cool completely.
  2. Whip the cold cream into soft peaks and chill.
  3. Once the vanilla cream is cold, beat to fluff it up. Fold in the whipped cream gently.
  4. Serve in glasses topped with fresh strawberries. Chill before serving.

Three-Layer Fruit Jelly

Prep time: 10’
Chilling time: 10 hrs
Difficulty: **
Serves: 15

Ingredients

  • 1 cherry jelly packet
  • 1 apricot jelly packet

For the milk jelly:

  • 20 g powdered gelatin (2 packets)
  • 400 ml sweetened condensed milk
  • 300 ml water + 8 tbsp for blooming gelatin
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Bloom gelatin in 8 tbsp cold water. Warm 300 ml water (don’t boil), dissolve gelatin, then mix with condensed milk and vanilla.
  2. Divide into three bowls. Pour one portion into a large mold and chill until set.
  3. Prepare cherry jelly as per packet, cool to room temp, then spoon over the milk jelly. Chill to set.
  4. Repeat with the second layer of milk jelly, then finish with apricot jelly. Chill thoroughly (or freeze briefly between layers for faster setting). Once fully firm, unmold and serve.