It isn't summer without fruit and cream. Glorious scarlet berries, glistening currants, juicy peaches and thick yellow cream. Whether it comes as a traditional bowl of fruit and Jersey cream or a rich trifle, vivid ice cream or cool cheesecake, the combination is an unmissable part of the British summer. Today we celebrate the marriage with a handful of fruity, creamy recipes for making the most of this season's favourite partners.

Peach and blackberry trifle

Fond as I am of the deep creamy mass that is the classic trifle, I rather like this unconstructed version where the sponge, syllabub and fruit are clearly visible rather than all mixed together. It is essential, I think, to make a real sponger here. A packet of sponge fingers won't do for this.

serves 4

for the almond sponge
butter - 250g
unrefined caster sugar - 250g
a lemon ground almonds - 75g
plain flour - 100g
eggs - 4 large

for the syllabub
white wine - 50ml
limoncello liqueur - 1 tbs
a lemon an orange caster sugar - 40g
double cream - 200ml

for the fruit lusciously ripe peaches - 2
blackberries - 150g
redcurrants - 8 sprigs
icing sugar

You will need a 20-22cm shallow, square cake tin. Line the base of the cake tin with a piece of baking parchment.

Set the oven at 180C/gas 4. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until white and fluffy. Grate the zest from the lemon and squeeze its juice. Mix the ground almonds and flour together.

Lightly beat the eggs and add them to the creamed butter and sugar mixture a little at a time, with the beater on slow. Turn the machine off and add the zest and a third of the almonds and flour, then turn the mixer on slow until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the second and then the third lot of almonds and flour, switching the machine off each time. If you add the flour too quickly you risk ending up with a heavy cake.

Lastly, mix in the lemon juice. Transfer the mixture to the lined cake tin, lightly smooth the surface and bake for 30-35 minutes until a metal skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out without any uncooked cake mixture attached. Remove the cake from its tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Pour the wine into the bowl of an electric mixer, add the liqueur, then grate into it the zest of the lemon and orange. Squeeze the juice of the lemon and add it to the mixture. You won't need the orange juice, so drink it. Set aside this mixture for as long as you can. A couple of hours will be fine.

To continue: Pour the sugar into the wine mixture and beat gently with a whisk attachment, then pour in the cream and beat slowly until the syllabub starts to thicken. You need to keep an eye on things at this point; you should stop when the syllabub will lie in thick, soft folds, only just keeping its shape. Cover with cling- film and refrigerate until needed.

To assemble: Cut the cake into four squares then slice each square into two horizontally. Lay one square of cake in each of four shallow dishes (soup dishes or pasta bowls are fine) then divide the syllabub between them. Add slices of peaches, the berries and currants. Top with the remaining squares of cake, cut into triangles. Dust with icing sugar.

Strawberry yoghurt ripple

A light, bright flavoured ice for a hot summer day. I use commercially made smoothies for this (Innocent is my favourite brand), but you could make your own with natural yoghurt and a banana if you prefer.

serves 4
good quality vanilla smoothies - 3 x 250ml
strawberries - 300g

Put a plastic freezer box in the deepfreeze to get really cold. Tip the smoothies into the bowl of an ice-cream maker and churn until almost frozen. While the mixture churns, whiz the strawberries to a purée in a food processor.

When the yoghurt is almost frozen, scoop it into the chilled freezer box. Pour in the strawberry purée and stir into the yoghurt to give a marbled effect. Don't be tempted to stir it more than three or four times; you want distinct ribbons of intense strawberry running through the yoghurt. Return the mixture to the freezer and leave until lightly frozen.

Raspberry 'tiramisu'

OK, this is about as much a tiramisu as I am, but the principle of booze-soaked sponge and mascarpone cream is the same. It may make your heart sink that it needs to be made the day before, but that is the only way to get the sponge and cream cheese layer to marry successfully. Rush it and you will be disappointed.

serves 8
white wine - 100ml
cassis - 80ml
raspberries - 400g
a packet of sponge finger biscuits
mascarpone - 500g
eggs - 3
separated caster sugar - 3 tbs
double or whipping cream - 200ml

You will need an oval or rectangular dish approximately 35cm in diameter. Mix the wine and cassis. Dip the biscuits in this and lay them snugly in the dish. Pour over half of the remaining liquid. Scatter half of the raspberries over the sponges.

Beat the mascarpone, the egg yolks and the sugar together with a hand-held electric whisk. Rinse the beaters, dry them thoroughly then beat the egg whites till they are stiff and hold in firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture, breaking up any lumps of egg white as you go. Spread all over the infused sponge fingers.

Whip the cream, but only until it will sit in soft folds. If it will stand in peaks you have gone too far. Scatter over the remaining raspberries and cover tightly with kitchen film. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, scatter with rose petals should you wish, and serve.

A simple passion fruit cheesecake

There is little that can compete with the famous American-style cooked cheesecake, but the ultimate creamy cheesecake is the 'refrigerator' rather than 'oven' version. Despite sounding like something from the back of a packet this is actually a gorgeous, deep and infinitely sexy recipe. Though the appearance of passion fruit is unusual, it is necessary, so that the sharp fruit prevents the cake from cloying.

serves 8
for the crumb base
butter - 120g
ginger biscuits - 400g

for the filling
mascarpone - 250g
icing sugar - 75g
a vanilla pod crème fraiche - 400ml
double cream - 300ml
ripe, wrinkled passion fruits - 4
white currants - 8 sprigs (optional)

Melt the butter in a small pan. Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs and stir them into the melted butter. Tip them into a 22cm, loose-bottomed cake tin and smooth them flat. Refrigerate for an hour or so until firm. You can speed the process by putting them in the freezer if you wish.

Put the mascarpone and icing sugar in the bowl of a food mixer and beat smooth. Scrape out the seeds from the vanilla pod with the point of a knife and stir them into the mascarpone with crème fraiche.

Whip the cream until it will stand in soft folds, then stir it gently into the mascarpone mixture. Scrape the mixture into the cake tin and cover with kitchen film. Leave to chill for a good hour. To serve, remove the cake from the tin, cut the passion fruits in half and squeeze the seeds and juice over the cheesecake. Add a few sprigs of white currants, if you wish.

Cassis fruit salad
assorted berries (blackberries, strawberries, redcurrants, raspberries et cetera)
cassis
caster sugar

Rinse the berries and tip them into a dish, removing the strawberry hulls and currant stalks as you go. Drizzle a little cassis over the fruit and dust with a little sugar. Set aside for an hour or more and serve with cream.

(For 450g of mixed fruit you will need about three tablespoons of cassis and a tablespoon of sugar, but it is best to taste as you go, adding sugar and liqueur to taste depending on the mixture and sweetness of your fruit).

The wine list

Peach and blackberry trifle
Valdespino Solera 1842 Oloroso VS Sherry, £11.99 per half, Waitrose
This is very rich, almost raisiny, but the dessert can handle it. Mature and toasty.

Cassis fruit salad
Prosecco, Loris Bonotto, £6.99, Marks & Spencer
Prosecco is on the label, but this is reminiscent of a fresh, grapey Moscato.

Simple passion fruit cheesecake
2001 Coteaux du Layon Cuvée Harmonie, Domaine Cady, £10.49, Oddbins
Sweet Loire Chenin Blancs are a favourite. This one combines waxy, appley flavours with a hint of tropical fruit.

Raspberry 'tiramisu'
2001 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Concha y Toro, £4.69 per half, Majestic
The latest excellent off ering from Chile's biggest winery, this is a humdinger of a sweet wine.

Strawberry yoghurt ripple
2004 Montana East Coast Rosé, £5.99, Tesco
Serve an off -dry rosé with this dish. This strawberry fruity Kiwi rosé made from Merlot and Pinot Noir is just the thing.

Tim Atkin