Summer

Name: Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups heavy cream; 3 cups whole milk; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 vanilla bean; 2 cups creme fraiche; 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin; 2 peaches; 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar; a pinch of nutmeg

How To Set Up Your Caravan Awning in Any Weather

0 · Mar 20, 2025 · Leave a Comment

There’s something magical about setting up camp, stepping outside your caravan, and soaking in the beauty of nature. But let’s be honest—having a little extra space makes the experience even better! That’s where a caravan awning comes in handy. Whether you need shade on a sunny day, shelter from unexpected rain, or just a cozy outdoor nook for your family to gather, an awning can transform your campsite into a true home away from home.

But here’s the catch: Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate. Strong winds, heavy rain, or even a surprise snow shower can quickly turn your relaxing retreat into a stressful situation—especially if your awning isn’t properly secured. I’ve been there, trying to wrestle with flapping fabric while keeping my little ones entertained, and trust me, it’s not fun!

The good news? With the right tools, techniques, and a little preparation, you can make sure your awning stays sturdy, durable, and functional no matter what the weather throws your way. So, here is a DIY-friendly guide on how to set up your caravan awning for a stress-free family camping experience!

1. Setting Up in Sunny Weather

During the day, you need to be well prepared so that you can enjoy the sun while having a balanced shade and airflow.

Preparation

Location and Orientation: Select an area where there are few trees to hide from direct sunlight if the conditions allow. Choose a place to set up the caravan and the caravan awning to avoid direct sunshine during the hottest hours.
Equipment Check: Check the condition of poles, pegs, and guy ropes during your inspection. As for the external covering, it is necessary to choose an awning that is resistant to UV radiation as a result of high temperatures.

Setup Tips

Avoid Over-tensioning: When exposed to heat, fabric material is capable of stretching. Excessive tightening may result in unnecessary force exerted on the seams and poles.
Use Sunshades: Perhaps you should consider using further sunshades or extensions to your awning to get even better coverage.
Ventilation: You can open the side panels or the windows to create some ventilation because the side interior of the awning tends to get very hot.
Ground Anchors: Tighten the pegs by pushing them into the dry surface of the ground as hard as possible. Insert heavy-duty steel pegs in case of hard soil or pre-soak the soil to soften it before driving in pegs.

Maintenance

UV Protection: The fabric on the awning should be sprayed with a UV protectant spray to help with its durability.
Shade Management: Move blinds or curtains or use reflective sheets to shield from the sun throughout the day effectively.

2. Setting Up in Windy Weather

\Windy conditions need a lot of consideration in terms of planning and equipment to be used to prevent falling.

Preparation

Choose a Sheltered Spot: Try to use available natural sources such as trees and hedges as wind barriers. Park the caravan so the awning end will be blocked by the prevailing winds.
Inspect Equipment: Use heavy-duty guy ropes and reinforced poles. Look for wear or tear, particularly in the seams and zippers.

Setup Tips

Anchor Properly
In soft soils like sand soil, try to use the screw-in pegs for better anchorage.
Cross-brace guy ropes for extra stability.
Lower One Side: It is recommended that one side of the awning be less inclined than the other to minimize contact with the wind.
Install Storm Straps: Fasten the storm straps horizontally from the top end of the awning to the ground to increase tension and pull on them.
Avoid Full Extension: To avoid dragging the wind speeds, particularly during gusting weather, do not open your awning to its entire length.

Maintenance

Regular Checks: One should always check poles and guy ropes now and then to see whether they have stretched somewhere down the line.
Avoid Overnight Wind Damage: Draw in completely or merely fold the awning partly during the night, significantly if there is increased wind.

3. Setting Up in Rainy Weather

Extra precautions must be taken on rainy days to keep your awning watertight and effective.

Preparation

Waterproofing: Make sure a waterproof coating is applied to the awning cloth. If required, use seam sealants to stop leaks. If required, use seam sealants or high-quality RV roof tape to stop leaks and reinforce weak spots.
Selecting the Ground: Pick an area with adequate drainage. Steer clear of low-lying, flood-prone places.

Setup Tips

Adjust Pitch: Maintain the awning’s slope to make it easier for rainfall to drain off and avoid collecting on the roof.
Seal Gaps: To reduce water intrusion beneath the awning, use wheel arch covers and draft skirts.
Peg Placement: Using extra pegs can help secure the awning in the event of severe rain. For the pegs to stay firmly in place, ensure the ground is firm.
Awning Mats: Use permeable mats to prevent water from accumulating within the awning.

Maintenance

Drainage Management: Make sure there isn’t any water collecting on the roof by regularly checking and clearing it.
Drying the Awning: After a rainstorm, let the awning air dry thoroughly before storing it to avoid the growth of mold and mildew.

4. Safety Precautions

You must stay alert and ready for any unexpected weather changes to ensure your safety and the integrity of the awning.

1. Keep Tabs on Weather Updates

Be aware of how the weather is changing, and be prepared to move or disassemble your awning as needed.

2. Prevent Overloading

The structure of the awning frame may be weakened if large objects are hung on it, particularly during bad weather.

3. Have Emergency Plans in Place

Always have supplies, such as a first aid kit, extra ropes, and mallets.

Caravan Awning Set Up – The Bottomline

A well-set-up caravan awning can be a game-changer for your camping adventures, giving you extra space to relax, dine, or even work on a fun craft project while enjoying the great outdoors. With a little extra effort—and some smart setup techniques—you won’t have to worry about the weather ruining your trip. Instead, you’ll have a cozy, protected space to enjoy every moment, rain or shine.

So next time you head out on a road trip, take a few extra minutes to secure your awning the right way—you’ll thank yourself when the weather decides to surprise you! Happy camping, friends!

{Recipe} Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta

21 · Apr 16, 2018 · 14 Comments

Is there anything more lovely than a good, juicy, ripe peach? Quite honestly, I think that is one of my favorite summertime LOVES!! I have fond memories of my dad cutting up a peach and putting it in a bowl with a little pinch of sugar and a splash of cream… heaven in a bowl. Well, I’ve kicked it up a notch. Another love of mine is Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta. What is this you ask? (This post has been updated, it was originally posted August 24, 2011)

What is Panna Cotta

Jump to Recipe

The first time I had Panna Cotta was at an Italian Resturant in Colorado where I grew up. I don’t know what inspired me to try something new but, I’m so glad that I did! When it arrived at the table it was a smooth, glass-surfaced dessert with a raspberry sauce on one side topped with berries and whipped cream. It was so intriguing. It didn’t look like pudding or custard, nor did it look like gelatin. I tasted my first bite and was hooked instantly. It was cool dessert, perfect for those hot summer nights. It’s creamy and sweet and pairs nicely with chocolate, caramel, or a whole host of fruits. It’s basically an eggless custard made with decadent cream and gelatin and it’s divine. Panna Cotta is the perfect blank canvas to create the perfect dessert with. We like to top it off with some fresh summer peaches and that’s it. No need for whipped cream or anything else. The Summer peaches are perfect with the divine Panna Cotta!

Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta Recipe

Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta

Author Heather Thoming • WhipperBerry

Yield 6-8 servings

Peaches + Cream is truly Summer heaven. Team them up with the creamy eggless custard called Panna Cotta and you'll have a real Summer crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

3 cups heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 cups creme fraiche
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 peaches
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
a pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

Place the cream, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Split and scrape the vanilla seeds from the bean. Add both the seeds and the pod to the milk. When the milk mixture begins to simmer, shut off the heat and whisk in the creme fraiche.

You will then need to strain the mixture and return to the pot. Add the gelatin and whisk until dissolved. Pour the mixture into 8 (1 cup) ramekins and set aside to come to room temperature. Cover and place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 3 hours preferably overnight.

Now for the peaches...

Cut them into small bite size pieces and place in a small sauce pan along with the sugar and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes until sugar is dissolved and peaches have cooked down a bit, but not too much. Let cool and then top the panna cotta with the cooled peach mixture. Sit back and ENJOY the best peaches and cream you'll ever have!

Notes

{this recipe has been adapted from Guy Fieri's Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta Jubilee Style recipe}

Courses Dessert

Creamy Berry No-Bake Jell-o Poke Cake Recipe

4 · Jul 14, 2016 · 1 Comment

+ This Creamy Berry No-Bake Jell-o Poke Cake Recipe brought to you by International Delight +

This my friends is NOT your Mother’s traditional Jell-o Poke Cake. Nope, not even close.

This my friends is a MAGIC cake. It’s for those times when you don’t have the time to bake and slave over a special treat, but you still want to impress your friends and family. NO baking involved. Which in these hot summer months, who wants to turn on the oven. It has some unexpected ingredients that make it EXTRA special.

First off, I bought my angel food cake from the store… I know, Gasp!

Seriously, it’s summer… I’m too busy to bake with all of the activity at the house with the kiddos home. I grabbed an angel food cake at the market, some strawberry Jell-o some International Delight Simply Pure Vanilla. LOVE this stuff! It’s made with real milk, cream & sugar, that’s it!

I have always loved the jell-o poke cake I made some great Black Cherry Jell-o Cakes a few years ago and they were a huge hit.

Again, my problem here is that I just didn’t have enough time to bake, I improvised and came up with this great alternative. I also added a little extra love to the Jell-o to make it extra creamy. Here’s how you make it…

Creamy Berry No-Bake Jell-o Poke Cake Recipe

Pour Jell-o packet into a 2 cup mixing cup.

Mix with 1 cup of boiling water.

Stir to dissolve the gelatin completely.

Once the gelatin has totally dissolved, add a few ice cubes, no more than 4, to slightly cool down the liquid Jell-o.

Now for the secret ingredient! Add 1 cup of International Delight Simply Pure Vanilla Creamer.

Stir to completely incorporate the creamer into the Jell-o mixture.

Now, it’s time to prep your cake. Place your cake on a cake plate. Don’t EVER serve a store bought cake in the container that it comes in. You want to at least TRY and fool your guest that you slaved all day in the kitchen!

Now, take a skewer or knife and poke a bunch of holes into your cake.

Next, pour your creamy jell-o mixture carefully onto the cake.

Try and saturate as much as possible.

I wanted to keep the sides of my cake as white as possible so I just poured the Jell-o mixture on top. You can do whatever you like. Place the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

While you’re waiting for the Jell-o to set, you can make the Chantilly Cream for the topping of the cake. YUM!

You can find that recipe HERE in my post about homemade chocolate pudding and Chantilly Cream…

Remove the cake from the fridge and with a serrated knife, carefully cut the cake in half and remove the top of the cake.

Spoon on the Chantilly cream on top of the first layer.

Next, layer some sliced strawberries in the middle.

Now, replace the top of the cake.

I actually flipped the layer over so the the cut side was on top. I just liked the way it looked better. Spoon another layer of the Chantilly Cream on top and then fill the center of the cake with raspberries, blackberries and top with a few strawberries.

Then around the bottom of the cake fill up the plate with the remaining berries. I like to leave the stems on my strawberries to give it that rustic look, but that’s totally up to you. I also added in a few sprigs of mint to add even more green.

This Creamy Berry No-Bake Jell-o Poke Cake is truly a show stopper and you hardly had to lift a finger! It’s sooooo easy to make! NO baking skills required!

Slice and serve to WOW your guests with the little hidden secret inside waiting to delight your friends and family. It’s the PERFECT summer dessert!

For more great International Delight ideas and recipes, sign-up for their newsletter OR visit their Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook pages.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Raspberry Watermelon Granita

0 · Jun 19, 2013 · 13 Comments

Raspberry Watermelon Granita // I'm thrilled to have Jenn from Clean & Scentsible, another member of the WhipperBerry creative team here today. She has been a long time contributor to my Friday Flair link party and she always blows me away with her fun idea. I'm so excited to have her on the team

Hello Whipperberry fans! I'm Jenn from Clean and Scentsible and I cannot tell you how excited I am to be contributing to Heather's amazing blog!

To me, summertime is all about simplifying things. We usually only have a few months of nice, warm weather around here so I savor every moment I can get! This raspberry watermelon granita is one of my favorite summertime treats and is so easy to make. It does require a bit of patience while it is freezing but it is well worth it!

Raspberry Watermelon Granita

5 cups cubed seedless watermelon

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin {1/4 ounce}

1/2 cup cran-raspberry juice cocktail

Preparation

Puree the watermelon and raspberries in a food processor or blender. Depending on the size of your blender you may need to do this in two batches.

Combine the sugar and gelatin in a small sauce pan and stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Stir in juice.

Combine about half of the sugar mixture with the puree. Slowly add the remainder of the mixture to taste depending on how sweet you would like your granita to be. Remember that it will lose a little of the sweetness once frozen.

Pour into a 9 x 9 baking pan, cover with foil, and place in freezer.

Freeze for at least 2-3 hours and then use a fork to scrape along the top layers creating an icy texture. Continue until you start to get close to the less-frozen middle and then place back in the freezer. Repeat this process until it is all scraped. Makes about 10-12 servings.

**NOTE: Don't worry if you won't be around to scrape it every couple of hours. I often just leave it overnight and then scape it in one go – it just requires a little more muscle! If you only need a couple of servings, just scrape what you need and place the rest back in the freezer.