By: Seomul Evans
Submitted: 2009-11-14 05:48:27 | Word Count: 700
Desserts are rich innovative blended mixtures that are usually served at the end of each meal. Healthy dessert recipes can be healthy, light or simply a flavorful filler to satisfy your appetite.
When you choose a dessert, it must compliment the other courses. For instance if the main course is very rich, choose a light fruity desert to balance it or if the starter contains pastry avoid this for a dessert. The times you have available to prepare will also affect your choice.
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Choosing your healthy dessert recipes
A good way to start with getting a healthy dessert recipe on the table is to specific dessert recipes that are categorized as being low fat, sugar free, light, or healthy. You might also want to consider looking for dessert recipes that are for diabetics, people with milk allergies.
Substituting ingredients
• Where possible, use low fat or fat free ingredients. In most recipes, there are several ingredients, which can easily be substituted. The most common ingredients are egg yolks, butter, milk, flour etc. It is always better to replace half of the ingredient amount
• Yogurt can be substituted for butter, shortening, oil, sour cream, or even milk.
• White flour can be substituted with whole wheat flour. It is probably best to replace half of the white flour with the whole wheat flour
• Egg yolks can easily be replaced with egg whites in most recipes. One egg yolk can be substituted with two egg whites.
Size of the recipe
Consuming smaller portions of a dessert can help you satisfy your sweet tooth. So, divide your recipe in half, make your portions small, and you will lower the chances of over eating.
Use lots of fruits
The natural sugars present in fruits are good for satisfying a sweet tooth and they are healthy for your body too. Fruits should be Prepared n different ways, and used extensively as toppings on cakes and pies instead of whipped cream or icing. Serve fresh fruit with low fat yogurt for an amazingly light dessert experience. Fruit desserts are excellent at any time of the year.
Healthy Dessert Recipes
Apple Foam with Black Berries
This lovely dish is perfect if you fancy a dessert but do not want anything rich.
• 225gms black berries
• 150ml apple juice
• 5ml powdered gelatin
• 15 ml honey
• Two egg whites
Place the blackberries in a pan with 60 ml apple juice and heat until the fruit is soft. Remove from heat, cool and chill.
Sprinkle the gelatin over remaining apple juice and heat until dissolved. Stir in honey.
Whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks and pour in the hot gelatin, and mix well.
Quickly spoon the foam into rough mounds on individual plates. Chill. Serve it with blackberries and juice topping.
Tips: Gelatin should be dissolved over low heat. Other seasonal fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, peaches and apricots can also be used.
Mixed berry Soufflé Omelets
These French omelets take few minutes to cook and can be eaten straight away as a substitute for the main course or in breakfast.
• Four eggs separated
• One grated lemon rind
• 25g cater sugar
• Drop of vanilla essence
• 15ml single cream
• 25 gm butter
• 60 ml berry conserve
• Icing sugar for dusting
• 30 ml toasted flake almonds
Procedure:
• Place the egg yolks in a bowl and add lemon, sugar, vanilla essence and cream. Beat until slightly pale and thickened.
• Whisk the egg whites separately until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in the yolk mixture with a spoon.
• Melt butter in a frying pan and pour half of the egg mixture. Cook on a gentle heat for about 4 minutes or until just set and lightly golden brown.
• Pop the pan under the hot grill for 30 seconds until just browned.
• Remove from the grill and spoon half the conserve over the omelets. Fold the omelets in half and serve on a plate.
Dust with little icing sugar, sprinkle half of the flaked almonds and decorate with mint. Use the remaining mixture to make the second omelets.
Thus, desserts are an integral part of the meal without which any meal is incomplete. However, healthy dessert recipes should be prepared to satisfy the sweet tooth and need to be consumed in moderation.
