2 tantalizing fruit soup recipes to cool you down

Think all soups need to be piping hot? Or that fruit isn't meant for a main course? Chilled soups can be refreshing and satisfying on a hot day, especially when they contain fruit. These two recipes are so tangy and delicious they'll almost seem like dessert.

Fruit soup makes a refreshing lunch or first course on a hot summer day. Plus, it's ultra-easy to make. This one gets its body and richness from vanilla-flavoured yogurt.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pints of fresh strawberries, hulled
• 6 kiwifruit, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) fresh lime juice
• 175 ml (3/4 c.) vanilla yogurt
• Pinch of ground allspice

Preparation instructions

1. Combine the strawberries, kiwi fruit, lime juice, yogurt and allspice in a blender or food processor.
2. Process ingredients until smooth.
3. Refrigerate the soup for at least 30 minutes or overnight before serving.

That's ingenious!
Don't have vanilla yogurt? Don't worry. Simply mix two grams (1/2 tsp.) of vanilla extract and 30 ml (two tbsp.) of honey or brown sugar into plain yogurt.

Here's an easy cool-down dish for a steamy summer lunch or dinner. Serve it as a first or last course. White wine gives it a sophisticated flair that trumps ordinary fruit soups.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 300 ml (1 1/4 c.) water
• 1 bag (600-625 g) frozen raspberries, thawed
• 50 ml (1/4 c.) white wine
• 250 ml (1 c.) cranberry-raspberry juice
• 65 g (1/2 c.) sugar
• 7 g (1 1/2 tsp.) ground cinnamon
• 3 whole cloves
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) fresh lemon juice
• 250 ml (1 c.) raspberry yogurt
• 125 ml (1/2 c.) sour cream

Preparation instructions

1. Place the water, raspberries and wine in a blender or food processor. Cover and puree, scraping down the sides once, until smooth, for about two minutes.
2. Transfer to a large saucepan and add the cranberry-raspberry juice, sugar, ­cinnamon and cloves. Bring just to a boil over medium heat.
3. Remove from the heat, strain into a large bowl. Then discard the solids and allow it to cool.
4. Whisk in the lemon juice and yogurt. Refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.
5. Top each serving with 30 ml (two tbsp.) of sour cream.

That's ingenious!
Turn this into raspberry sorbet by freezing the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Similarly, you could freeze the mixture in a shallow metal pan until solid then scrape out servings with a spoon.