The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts (12 page)

Holiday Cranberry Tarts

Makes 6 servings • Serving size: 1 tartlet

There's no need to chill these tarts before serving. To make them a day ahead, store the baked crusts in their pans at room temperature in resealable zip-top bags. Cover and refrigerate the cranberry filling, but bring it to room temperature before spooning into the crusts.

Crusts

9 low-fat graham crackers, crumbled (use 9 whole rectangles)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, melted and cooled
1 egg white

Filling

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup granular no-calorie sweetener
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh grated orange zest

Make Crusts

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat 6 (4-inch) tartlet pans with removable bottoms with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place crumbled graham crackers and cinnamon in a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the butter-flavored spread and egg white. Coat your hands lightly with cooking spray and press about 1/4 cup of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of each of the prepared pans.

3. Place the tart pans on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the crusts are lightly browned (small cracks may appear). Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Filling

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, no-calorie sweetener, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until the cranberries pop. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest.

2. Cool the filling and spoon into the prepared crusts. The tartlets are best served within 2 hours of assembling.

Exchanges: 3 Carbohydrate • 1/2 Fat

Calories 223, Calories from Fat 43, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 183 mg, Total Carbohydrate 45 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 29 g, Protein 2 g.

Fruity Desserts

Southern Peach and Blackberry Crumble

Peak of Summer Fruit Crumble

Autumn Pear and Cranberry Crumble

Biscuit-Topped Country Apple Cobbler

Gingerbread–Apple Cobbler

Cherry–Orange Cobbler

Summer Berry Cobbler

Pineapple–Mango Gingersnap Crisp

Strawberry–Rhubarb Crisp with Almond Crunch Topping

Granny Bartlett Bran Betty

Honey Roasted Nectarines with Yogurt Cream

Warm Summer Fruits with Sour Cream and Brown Sugar

Wine and Spice Soaked Figs

Baked Apples with Pomegranate Glaze

Ginger Poached Apricots

Maple–Cider Fruit Compote

Three Melon–Mint Compote

Sparkling Raspberry–Citrus Fruit Cocktail

Spiked Peaches with Raspberry Sauce

Strawberry Fool

Fresh Berry Terrine

Blackberries with Lime Cream

Fruit-Filled Pavlovas with Vanilla Sauce

Toasted Almond Napoleon with Berries

Southern Peach and Blackberry Crumble

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

A perfect ending to a summer supper or brunch, this homey dessert showcases peaches, blackberries, pecans, and cornmeal—all staples of Southern cuisine.

6 large ripe peaches (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, pitted, and sliced, or 3 1/2 cups unsweetened frozen sliced peaches, thawed
2 cups fresh blackberries or unsweetened frozen blackberries, unthawed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal (not cornmeal mix)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, chilled
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 × 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Combine the peaches, blackberries, flour, and lemon zest in a large bowl and toss to combine. Spoon into prepared dish.

3. Combine the brown sugar, cornmeal, cinnamon, and butter-flavored spread in a medium bowl. Blend together using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the butter-flavored spread is uniformly incorporated. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle evenly over the peach mixture.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Carbohydrate • 1 Fat

Calories 155, Calories from Fat 58, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 24 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 17 g, Protein 2 g.

Peak of Summer Fruit Crumble

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

Almond paste stands in for the butter in the topping for this crumble, cutting saturated fat and adding great flavor. Make this in June and July when apricots and cherries are both at their best.

12 small apricots (about 1 1/4 pounds), pitted and sliced
2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted, or frozen, unsweetened cherries, thawed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup almond paste, crumbled
2 tablespoons 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread
1/4 cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 × 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place the apricots and cherries in the prepared dish.

2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, almond paste, and butter-flavored spread in a medium bowl. Blend together using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the butter-flavored spread is uniformly incorporated. Stir in the almonds. Sprinkle evenly over the apricot mixture.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate • 1 Fat

Calories 175, Calories from Fat 64, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 27 mg, Total Carbohydrate 27 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 21 g, Protein 3 g.

Autumn Pear and Cranberry Crumble

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1 slice

You'll make this simple crumble again and again when pears and fresh cranberries show up in the markets. Tender fruit is suspended in an airy orange-spiked batter and topped with a crunchy crumb topping. It's perfect with brunch or as dessert after a casual supper.

Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup no-calorie sweetener
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 large egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon fresh grated orange zest
3 large ripe pears (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries, unthawed

Topping

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup old-fashioned (not quick-cooking) oats
1 1/2 tablespoons 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Make Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Combine the flour, no-calorie sweetener, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.

3. Combine the oil, orange juice, egg, and almond extract in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in the orange zest. Add the oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in the pears and cranberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pie plate.

Make Topping

1. Combine the brown sugar and oats in a medium bowl. Add the butter-flavored spread and blend into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the spread is uniformly incorporated. Stir in the almonds and sprinkle mixture over the batter.

2. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 2 1/2 Carbohydrate • 1 Fat

Calories 236, Calories from Fat 69, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 26 mg, Sodium 128 mg, Total Carbohydrate 40 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 24 g, Protein 3 g.

Biscuit-Topped Country Apple Cobbler

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

Simple and homey, this dessert is what to serve after a Sunday supper in October. If your carb and calorie budget allows, enjoy it with a scoop of fat-free, no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream.

Fruit Filling

6 medium Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/4 pounds) peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 7 cups)
2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Biscuit Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Make Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 11 × 7-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place the apples in a large bowl, add the lemon zest and lemon juice, and toss to coat. Combine the sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to mix well. Add the sugar mixture to the apples and toss to combine. Place the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish.

Make Topping

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter-flavored spread and blend into dry ingredients using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the spread is uniformly incorporated. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened. Drop the batter by spoonfuls over the apple mixture.

2. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the biscuits are well-browned and the apples are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate

Calories 156, Calories from Fat 16, Total Fat 2 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 225 mg, Total Carbohydrate 34 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugars 20 g, Protein 2 g.

Gingerbread–Apple Cobbler

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

A step above the average apple cobbler, this version tops fresh apple slices with a spicy gingerbread batter. Generous measures of ground ginger and black pepper give it a sophisticated flavor adults will love.

Fruit Filling

4 medium Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 6 cups)
1/3 cup raisins
2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Gingerbread Topping

1/2 cup granular no-calorie sweetener
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Make Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 × 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place the apples and raisins in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and cinnamon and toss to combine. Spoon the apple mixture into the prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.

Make Topping

1. Meanwhile, combine the no-calorie sweetener, molasses, oil, buttermilk, and egg in a medium bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth.

2. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Add the no-calorie sweetener mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Remove the cobbler from the oven and spoon the batter evenly over the apples. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until the topping is lightly browned around the edges and the apples are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 3 Carbohydrate • 1 Fat

Calories 241, Calories from Fat 72, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 200 mg, Total Carbohydrate 42 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 26 g, Protein 3 g.

Cherry–Orange Cobbler

Makes 10 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

As this super-fruity cobbler bakes, it perfumes the kitchen with intoxicating aroma. Serve it for dessert at a midsummer barbecue.

2 large navel or Valencia oranges
6 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted or unsweetened frozen cherries, thawed
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup granular no-calorie sweetener
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate with cooking spray and set aside. Grate 2 teaspoons zest from the oranges and place in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of each of the oranges, exposing the flesh. Stand each fruit upright, and using a sharp knife, thickly cut off the peel, following the contour of the fruit and removing all the white pith and membrane. Holding the fruit over a bowl, carefully cut along both sides of each section to free it from the membrane. Discard any seeds and let the sections fall into the bowl. Using two forks, separate the sections into small pieces. Add the cherries and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared pie plate.

3. Add the buttermilk, oil, and egg to the reserved orange zest and whisk to mix well. Combine the flour, sugar, no-calorie sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Stir in the buttermilk mixture. Spoon the batter over the cherry mixture, leaving some of the cherries uncovered. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate • 1/2 Fat

Calories 183, Calories from Fat 40, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Sodium 184 mg, Total Carbohydrate 34 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 22 g, Protein 4 g.

Summer Berry Cobbler

Makes 8 servings • Serving size: 1/2 cup

There is no flour added to the fruit in this cobbler, but if you'd like the juices to be thickened a little, toss the berries with a tablespoon of flour before placing them in the baking dish. It's wonderful either way.

2 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons granular no-calorie sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 × 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Combine the blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Spoon into the prepared dish.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Combine the buttermilk, oil, egg, sugar, no-calorie sweetener, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened (the batter will be lumpy). Spoon over the berries, leaving some of the berries uncovered.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbly around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate • 1 Fat

Calories 182, Calories from Fat 44, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 173 mg, Total Carbohydrate 32 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Sugars 14 g, Protein 4 g.