Travel with me back to the mid 1930s. Last thing before bedtime, I was permitted, as a three-year-old, to dissolve the jelly crystals in boiling water, after which the bowl was placed on a window sill to cool, covered with one of those crocheted beaded milk-jug covers to protect the contents from any stray suicidal fly or any other extraneous thirsty bug.

Come morning, the jelly mould was transferred to the Coolgardie Safe, a large chest-like creation on legs, its sides covered with hessian.

On top was a large shallow tray, probably made from zinc or lead, with little taps on all four sides.

The safe stood in a similar tray, but this one did not have taps. The top tray would be filled with water and the taps turned on to allow for the slightest drizzle  to permanently dampen the hessian, the theory being that the movement of air would keep the interior of the safe cool.

The tray below collected the dripping water, but strangely I cannot remember anyone emptying it?

And it worked. Butter would be hard and jelly firmly set after a few hours. How we licked our lips at the prospect of fresh fruit set in wine jelly (see below).

Later in that decade our kitchens become more sophisticated with the introduction of the ice chest which depended on the delivery of a huge block of ice every second day by the all powerful iceman.

Be absent on delivery day and the contents of the chest would be very distressed until the delivery two days later. (Doctor's appointments were governed by the arrival of the  iceman). By the way, the holding capacity of each chest would equal not much more than one shelf in today's refrigerators. 

When you consider any of the absolutely scrumptious desserts below (all taken from my list of most favoured summer desserts) give thanks to whoever created modern refrigeration.

Wine Jelly, stunning Summer Pudding, the ultimate Chocolate Pavlova, Prune and Port Fool and an amazing Lemon Parfait are all here for your delectation via the fridge. What would you do without it?

Serves 6 to 8. The combination of fruits used for a jelly such as this is entirely up to you - and the season. At present berries and melon are beautiful; so is the combination of pitted grapes and diced fresh mango. Carefully peeled orange and pink grapefruit segments are good, too.

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cups fruity white wine

30g powdered gelatine

2 cups prepared fruit (a mixture of hulled strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, or a combination of fruits such as seeded grapes, diced mango, and sliced apricots)

Dissolve the sugar in one cup of the wine over gentle heat. Add the gelatine and stir to dissolve thoroughly. 

Pour this mixture into the remaining wine in bowl, stir gently with a spoon and place in the refrigerator until cold but not set. 

Wet a five-cup jelly mould or metal ring tin and pour in about 5mm of the wine mixture. Chill until set as a jelly.

Scatter some of the chilled fruits over this layer of jelly and carefully pour a little more wine mixture over. Return to the refrigerator until set.

Continue making layers of fruit and jelly this way until all the wine jelly mixture is used and the mould is full.

Leave in the refrigerator for several hours until set firm. To serve, dip the base of the mould into a bowl filled with very hot water for two seconds only, quickly dry the base of the mould with a tea towel, then carefully invert the jelly onto a lightly wetted serving plate. (The base now becomes the top).

If the jelly does not slip out, give the mould a sharp shake; this will help release the jelly. Decorate the top, if liked, with extra chilled fruit and mint or strawberry leaves and serve.

Serves 8. This English classic is regarded as the ultimate summertime dessert when raspberries, strawberries, currants and other berries are plentiful. Summer pudding needs to be made at least a day before it is to be served. If you cannot find fresh berries, the frozen ones are acceptable.

½ loaf unsliced white bread, cut into thick slices, crusts removed 

750g mixed fruit, choosing from raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, red currants, black currants, stoned cherries

2/3 cup sugar

Reserve two slices of bread; cut the rest into wedges or oblongs and use them to line the base and sides of a 4-cup charlotte mould or basin. Endeavour to butt the edges of the bread as close together as possible.

Place the fruit and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan, cover and cook over a low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally, very gently. This allows the fruit juices to flow. Allow to cool.

Spoon the fruit into the pudding basin and lay the reserved slices of bread on top. Spoon any remaining fruit juice over, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons for coating any white patches once the pudding is turned out.

Place a small, flat plate on top of the pudding, making sure it sits inside the basin. Place weights or heavy cans (about 1kg) on top to compress the pudding, and place the basin on a large plate to catchy any juices.

Refrigerate overnight. To serve, turn out onto a plate, cut in wedges and offer very thick double cream with each serving.

Serves 8. This is for all those pavlova freaks who need to stretch their boundaries. Here you are! Crisp, chewy chocolate meringue, rich in cocoa and beaded nuggets of chopped plain chocolate, smeared with a thick layer of cream, topped with crimson raspberries - a killer combination from the kitchen of Nigella Lawson.

6 egg whites

300g caster sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sieved

1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar

50g dark chocolate, finely chopped 

For the topping:

500ml double cream

500g raspberries

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely grated dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the finely chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything through until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.

Mound on to the baking tray in a fat circle about 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C and cook for about 1 to 1½ hours.

When it is ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

When you are ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate.

Whisk the cream until thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate's rim.   

Serves 6. A "fool" is a light-textured blend of pureed fruit and custard or cream - usually strawberries or raspberries. Since first presenting this slightly more 'adult' version on these pages some time ago, there have been a number of requests for a reprint. Its a great standby when you want an interesting dessert that requires little preparation. I love it. Add one of those cigar-sized rolled wafers to each serve before serving.

1½ cups soft, stoned prunes

1 cup water

2 strips lemon-rind

½ cup port

1 cup cream

2 tablespoons sugar

Extra whipped cream and a little grated lemon zest

Cook the prunes in the water, with the lemon rind added, until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the rind and puree the prunes and liquid in a blender or food processor, or rub through a sieve. Cool, then stir in the port.

Chill until serving time. Whip the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until it forms soft peaks, then fold gently into the prune mixture.

Divide among six tall glasses and top with a spoonful of whipped cream and a little grated lemon rind. Push in a rolled wafer like a swizzle stick and serve with a long spoon. 

Serves 6. This parfait with its passionfruit sauce is one of the most refreshing desserts after a rich meal. It is basically a frozen ice-cream and when set in a loaf tin can be cut in thick slices. Any light fruit sauce could be used, but for me the passionfruit is sensational. Prepare the parfait well-ahead and it will cut and present very easily for entertaining.

½ cup sugar

5 tablespoons water

4 egg yolks

rind 1 lemon, grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cups cream

For the passionfruit sauce:

6 passionfruit

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

double cream

Dissolve ½ cup sugar in the water over a gentle heat. Boil the syrup for about 5 minutes. Set aside. Now beat the egg yolks with the lemon rind for a moment or so. Gradually add the hot syrup in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Continue whisking until it has doubled in bulk. Whisk in the lemon juice. Fold in the whipped cream.

Pour into a small loaf tin lined with baking paper and leave to set in the freezer for 8 hours. 

Meanwhile, make the passionfruit sauce: halve the passionfruit and scoop the pulp into a small bowl. Heat the water and sugar together in a small pan untl the sugar is dissolved and a light syrup is formed, then stir into the passionfruit pulp and freeze.

Unmould the frozen parfait onto a platter, cut into slices and serve on individual chilled small plates. Spoon passionfruit over each serving along with a dollop of thick double cream. You can also add a crisp dessert biscuit and a garnish of mint sprigs.