Not only is Maltese cuisine downright delicious, but it’s also considerably vast, offering an array of dishes that are sure to satisfy a range of tastes.

The only issue with Maltese food is that, generally, it’s not exactly ‘summer-y’, and let’s be real, who’d feel like a dish of rabbit stew in the midst of a July heatwave?

For this very reason, today we’re listing eight different Maltese ice-cream fusions that are sure to satisfy any sweet-toothed local. Here we go!

1. Kinnie Granita

Sipping (or crunching) some granita by the sea is a quintessential part of spending summer in Malta.

We’ve seen countless soft drinks get turned into this icy treat – so why not try it with Malta’s very own Kinnie? Making this granita would also be extremely easy as it only really requires a single ingredient.

2. Bajtar tax-Xewk Sorbet

This idea might finally help this underrated fruit get the recognition it deserves…

Make the most of the prickly pear harvesting season by turning a bunch of this polarizing fruit into a delectable sorbet. You can even give this snack an ‘adult’ twist by folding in some Bajtra Liqueur with your sorbet mix.

3. Rolled Figolla Ice Cream

It seems like the rolled ice-cream trend is here to stay – so why not make it Maltese?

Roll up some almond-flavoured ice cream and top it with a generous sprinkling of crushed figolla. If you’ve really got a sweet tooth, go on and squirt some of your favourite figolla glaze on top. We’d personally go for royal icing, but chocolate would work perfectly too.

4. Mqaret Ice Cream Sandwich

Mqaret are often enjoyed with a side of vanilla ice cream. What we’re proposing is turning these two desserts into one ultimate Maltese snack.

Mix some chopped dates into good quality vanilla ice cream and proceed to sandwich that between two pieces of fried pastry. Healthy? No. Tasty? Definitely.

5. Kannoli Cone

It’s crazy that no one has ever thought of making kannoli ice cream.

Take your traditional kannoli shell and turn it into a cone then proceed to fill it with a sweet ricotta ice cream. If you really want to remain loyal to the original dessert, sprinkle some crushed nuts on top. Delicious.

6. Cisk Popsicle

There’s only one thing better than sipping a Cisk by the sea, and that’s sipping an ice cold Cisk by the sea.

Jump on the boozy popsicle bandwagon and freeze up some of your favourite local beer in your mold of choice. Not only is this a super fun way of having a can of lager, but it will also keep your beer colder for longer.

7. Gelat tan-Nanna Sundae

‘Gelat tan-Nanna’ (grandma’s ice-cream) is Malta’s downright delicious take on ice cream.

This can easily be enjoyed on its own, but why not go a step further and use Gelat tan-Nanna as the base for a sundae? Top the ice cream with some crushed roasted almonds, candied peel, and a drizzle of condensed milk and share it with someone you love – or don’t, we’re not judging!

Bert Rakdham / Facebook & Mariners Snackbar - Pizzeria - Takeaway Birzebbugia / Facebook