Summer screams for ice cream

If you love ice cream, it doesn't matter what time of year it is, you'll eat it.

But when it's hot and humid, and you want something to cool off your inside, if not your outside, then it's got to be ice cream.

And homemade ice cream treats? Even better.

These recipes from QVC's David Venable are just too tempting.

Peaches and cream

"Nothing can top this summertime treat!," says Venable. "If fresh peaches are available, they'll give your ice cream even more flavor just make sure they give slightly when squeezed. They should also have a deep, profound peachy smell."

Venable says if you're in a hurry to make this treat, you can speed up ripening your peaches by placing the ones that are not quite ready into a paper bag with a banana.

David's Homemade Summer

Peach Ice Cream

Serves 4-6

4 cups frozen peaches, defrosted (or fresh if available)

1 (9.6-ounce) can peach nectar

One-quarter cup sweetened condensed milk

One-half cup heavy cream

One-quarter cup whole milk

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Purée 3 cups of the peaches with peach nectar in a food processor until smooth.

Add the peach purée, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and milk to a medium-size sauce pan; stir to combine.

Place 3 tablespoons of the peach mixture in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the liquid and set it aside.

Bring the mixture in the saucepan to a slight simmer over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and scoop a cup of the heated mixture into the bowl with the gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Stir the gelatin mixture into the rest of the ice cream base and refrigerate overnight. Chop the remaining peaches into -inch pieces. Refrigerate them until you're ready to freeze the ice cream base.

Pour the chilled ice cream base into the canister of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency, add the chopped peaches and let the machine run until they're distributed throughout. Continue to freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

Serves 10-12

1 (6-ounce) ready-to-use Oreo pie crust

1 (1.5 gallon) container mint chocolate chip ice cream, slightly softened

1.25 cups roughly crushed chocolate wafers

4 ounce whipped topping

8 chocolate wafers, halved (optional garnish)

Chocolate fudge sauce (optional garnish)

Freeze the pie shell for 1 hour. Evenly spread of the ice cream onto the pie crust. Place the crushed wafers over the ice cream layer. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours.

Using a spatula, spread the remaining ice cream over the crushed wafers and gently spread until even. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 8 hours, or overnight.

Pipe whipped topping around the border of the pie, if desired, and garnish with the halved wafers and chocolate sauce. Let the pie rest at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Fried ice cream? You bet!

For best results, Venable says to make the fried ice cream balls the day before and let them sit in the freezer overnight.

1 quart chocolate peanut-butter cup ice cream

4 cups chocolate-flavored whole-grain corn and oat cereal, finely crushed

2 cups unsalted peanuts, finely crushed

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

Vegetable oil, for frying

Chocolate sauce, for serving

Spoon out 8 large balls of ice cream onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Freeze for at least 1-1/2 hours.

Combine the crushed cereal with the crushed peanuts in a large bowl. Dip the chilled ice-cream balls in the crumb mixture; refreeze for 45 minutes. Do not discard the crumbs.

Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl. Dip the coated ice-cream balls into the eggs and then into the crumb mixture, coating completely. Put the ice cream back onto the sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate the egg and sugar mixture.

Repeat the coating process once again and refreeze for 6 hours, or overnight.

Preheat a deep fryer to 375F. Line a plate with paper towels.

Place one ball into the oil and fry for about 25-35 seconds. Remove from the oil and place on the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat.

Place each ball on a dessert plate and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

Chocolatey Chip Ice Cream Sandwich Pops

Makes 10 sandwiches

1 cup all-purpose flour

One-third cup cocoa powder

One-half teaspoon baking soda

One-quarter teaspoon baking powder

One-half teaspoon salt

1.5 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

One-third cup granulated sugar

One-half cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.25 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

2.5 cups chocolate chip ice cream

10 popsicle sticks

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 ounces white chocolate, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

To prepare the cookies, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder in a medium-size bowl. Fit a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat the butter and both of the sugars until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and stir until fully incorporated.

Add the flour mixture, in batches, and mix well after each addition. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until evenly distributed. Spoon the dough onto the cookie sheets. (Each cookie should be made with 2 tablespoons of dough.)

Bake for 12 minutes and place the sheets on cooling racks. Once the cookies have cooled completely, turn half of them flat-side-up.

To assemble the sandwiches, remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until it softens slightly. Scoop about cup of ice cream onto each flat-sided cookie and then gently top the ice cream with a second cookie. Insert a popsicle stick into the ice cream. Carefully place the sandwich back onto the cookie sheets. Freeze them overnight.

Carefully, stirring often, melt the semi-sweet chips in a double boiler or microwave. Let the chocolate cool for a minute so as not to melt the ice cream. Next, lay one of the frozen sandwiches into the chocolate. Flip it with a spatula and coat the other side. When the sandwich is completely coated, place it back into the freezer while you coat the other sandwiches.

If you'd like to decorate the sandwiches, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Pour the chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe a design onto each chocolate covered ice cream sandwich. Serve cold.