I DID think summer might actually have arrived, until the heavens opened last week.

And what better way to spend a hot afternoon or warm evening, than eating a delicious home-made ice cream?

This one isn't quite made from scratch, but why work hard when the sun is shining and the garden is beckoning?

This harks back to a traditional afternoon tea, and is certainly a different way to eat scones with strawberries and clotted cream.

So break out the ginger beer and cucumber sandwiches, too; I'm off with the Famous Five Julian, Dick and Anne, George and Timmy the dog. Whizzo. This recipe serves six people.

Strawberry and clotted cream ice cream with scones

Ingredients:

1 can strawberries, drained, or 1 punnet very ripe strawberries, hulled and washed

1 small tub Cornish style clotted cream

1 litre (1.75 pints) Cornish dairy ice cream

2 fruit scones

Method:

Get out the food processor and fit it with the dough hook or similar type blade one that doesn't have a sharp edge. Take the bowl, blade and lid and place in the freezer to chill well. (If you haven't got a food processor, see below).

Meanwhile, cut the scones in half and toast both sides until crispy, then allow to cool.

Alternatively, cut them open and leave overnight so they are not too fresh and soft. Break the scones up into small bite-sized pieces.

Remove the processor bowl from the freezer and add half the ice cream, the drained strawberries (or fresh strawberries), cream and scone pieces and mix just enough to combine everything.

Add the remaining ice cream, mix briefly and then chill in the freezer for two hours.

If you haven't got a food processor, leave out the ice cream to soften slightly, then place the ice cream in a large bowl and mix in the strawberries, cream and scone pieces until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a freezer box and freeze for two hours.

Serve as needed preferably after a long Pimms.

Observer chef Nick Haywood is the Now We're Cooking chef at Sainsbury's, London Colney. For more summertime recipes, visit him in store, e-mail him on <chef.londoncolney@sainsburys.co.uk >or telephone 01727 744446.