Dessert Recipes
Chocolate-Mint Bars
Ingredients
BOTTOM LAYER
- 4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
- Cooking spray
MINT LAYER
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 drops green food coloring
GLAZE
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons butter
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- To prepare bottom layer, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine flour and salt, stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, ¼ cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9 inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.
- To prepare glaze, combine chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.
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Nathan’s Lemon Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
ICING
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon rind
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Lemon rind strips (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust pans with 2 tablespoons flour, and set aside.
- Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
- Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and nonfat buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
- Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack; remove wax paper from cake layers.
- To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and the remaining ingredients (except lemon rind strips) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread half of icing on top of cake. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining half of icing over top of cake. Garnish with lemon rind strips, if desired. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.
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Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
- 3/4 cup finely chopped Gala apple
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
STREUSEL
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place muffin cup liners in 12 muffin cups, coat with cooking spray.
- Weigh or lightly spoon 6.75 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 6.75 ounces flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, cream cheese, and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add amaretto, vanilla, and egg to sugar mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Combine sour cream and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until well blended. Combine apple and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl; toss well.
- Add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended. Fold in apple mixture. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
- To prepare the streusel, combine 2 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal, stir in almonds. Sprinkle streusel evenly over cupcakes. Bake at 350° for 27 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack, and remove the cupcakes from pan.
- To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and 4 teaspoons milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over cupcakes.
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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 3 cups fresh blueberries, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Preparation
- Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine milk and half-and-half in a medium, heavy saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to cheese mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°, stirring constantly. Place pan in an ice-filled bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.
- Combine blueberries, powdered sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and cool completely.
- Stir blueberry mixture into milk mixture. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
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Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet with Fresh Cherry Compote
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup red cherry jam (such as Bonne Maman)
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
COMPOTE
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pound fresh Bing or tart cherries, pitted and halved
Preparation
- To prepare sorbet, combine first 4 ingredients in a heavy saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add 2 cups water, stirring with a whisk. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring well with a whisk. Cool to room temperature; cover and chill overnight.
- Stir sorbet mixture with a whisk. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.
- To prepare compote, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cherries; toss well. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve compote with sorbet.
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