For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to bake. I find few things as satisfying as whipping up some cake batter and watching the layers rise in the oven or serving up a fresh batch of homemade cookies. That’s why, about eight years ago, I decided to take my skills to the next level and got a job as a baker in a professional kitchen. I’ve since hung up my full-time apron (and stopped setting my alarm for 3 a.m.), but I still love to tackle all sorts of culinary projects in my free time. Well, except for during the summer, that is.
Don’t get me wrong — I still prepare lots of food at home during the warmer months. But my methods adapt with the changing seasons, which means there’s no way I’m turning on my oven during a heat wave. Well, not my full-sized oven, at least. I spent too many summer shifts sweating my butt off at the bakery to make that mistake again. Instead, when the baking itch attacks, I turn to my countertop toaster oven, which performs just as well and doesn’t make my kitchen feel like a sauna.
I’ve switched up my cooking habits this season too; rather than standing over my stovetop’s flames, I reach for my air fryer or Instant Pot when I make dinner. These days, practically any type of food can be prepared without breaking a (literal) sweat — here are some ideas to keep in mind as the temps rise.
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“With the caveat that you must freeze the canister 16 to 24 hours in advance and that this Cuisinart machine is not ideal when taking work calls (it’s quite noisy!), it’s the easiest and most foolproof ice cream maker we tried,” she says.
“Once you pop the dasher (aka paddle) into the bowl and place the cover on top, you simply turn on the machine and pour in your ice cream base. There’s nothing to program or decide on. Just 20 minutes later, you’ve got creamy, delicious ice cream or sorbet. You can eat it right away, but you’ll probably want to pop it in the freezer for a few hours to reach peak texture. There’s no timer on this model, so you’ll need to set your own and check the texture as you go. I had no issue with this.”
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Check out our roundup of the best air fryers for more.
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