Just Desserts
Another day of just desserts, with a little of this, a little of that, and a whole lot of yum. Check out the Melt-In-Your-Mouth Berry Trifle, the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, along with the other yummy desserts in today's post. Enjoy!
LEMON-GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 62), and begins, "These ice cream sandwiches will become a year-round favorite." Serves 12
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/lemon-gingerbread-ice-cream-sandwiches/.
Ingredients
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground black pepper and salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) soy margarine, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 pints lemon sorbet
4 cups vanilla soy "ice cream"
Preparation
Put molasses in heatproof bowl. Sprinkle baking soda over top. Add boiling water; whisk with fork.
Blend flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and salt in large bowl. Cream margarine and brown sugar in another bowl. Add molasses mixture; beat until soft dough forms. Divide in half, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
Put 1 dough ball between 2 sheets wax paper. Roll into 8-1/2 x 12-1/2-inch shape; remove top wax paper. Using sharp knife, trim dough edges; cut dough into 12 2×4-inch rectangles. Prick with fork. Transfer on wax paper to cookie sheet; chill 30 minutes.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Transfer rectangles from wax paper to cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but still soft to the touch. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely.
Meanwhile, scoop sorbet and ice cream into large bowl; blend with wooden spoon. Freeze 20 minutes or longer, or until mixture is firm.
When completely cool, spread 1/2 cup frozen lemon filling onto bottom of one cookie. Pat filling down with spatula. Place second cookie on top (pricked side up), and gently press down. Scrape away any filling that spreads past edges, and use it to fill in corners. Smooth edges. Repeat with remaining cookies. Wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 ServingsServing Size: 2 cookies
Source: Splenda
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.
You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.
Ingredients
1/2 cup light butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.
Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.
Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes:
These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH BERRY TRIFLE
This is from September 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 85), and begins, "Even though you can use fresh berries in this trifle, frozen work better because they give off more juicy goodness for the chunks of pound cake to absorb." Makes 16 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-berry-trifle/.
Ingredients
2 10-oz. bags organic frozen strawberries, thawed
2 10-oz. bags organic frozen blueberries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 16-oz. fat-free pound cake
1 cup raspberry jam
Preparation
Toss together strawberries, blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in large bowl. Combine yogurt, sour cream and vanilla in separate bowl.
Stand pound cake on side. Cut cake into 4 thin slices lengthwise. Spread first slice with 1/4 cup jam, and top with second slice. Continue with remaining slices and jam, and finish with layer of jam on top of cake. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Line bottom and sides of clear trifle dish or large glass soufflé dish with prepared cake slices. Spoon in half of fruit. Top with half of yogurt mixture. Layer with remaining cake slices, fruit and yogurt mixtures. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 4 hours, or overnight, to allow trifle to set.
ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. 'To counter anticipated protests,' Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, 'the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,' wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. 'Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That's what your annual recipe is all about. Don't be grumpy about it.' We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all. The original 1983 recipe called for 1 cup sugar; the 1989 version reduced that to 3/4 cup. We give both options below. Here are five ways to adapt the torte.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Eating Well” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 eggs
24 halves pitted purple plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)
Tip
To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB FLUMMERY
This was in the May/June 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 63), and begins, "Layers of a fast fruit compote and coconut whipped cream make this traditional Irish dessert a fantastic warm weather finale when you want something light. The longer the coconut-cashew cream is left to chill, the thicker it gets, so make it a day or two ahead, if possible."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/strawberry-rhubarb-flummery/.
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1 15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup cane or maple sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (3 cups)
1/2 cup rolled oats
Preparation
Grind cashews in food processor or blender until powdery. Add coconut milk, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Process 5 minutes, or until creamy, stopping once or twice to scrape down sides of bowl. Cover and chill overnight or up to 2 days.
Combine rhubarb, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice in medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes over medium heat, or until rhubarb begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add strawberries and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until strawberries are soft, but not mushy. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Transfer to bowl, let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill.
Toast oats in small skillet over medium heat 3 minutes, or until light brown, stirring often. Remove from heat, and cool.
To serve: Spoon 1/4 cup compote in bottoms of 6 wine or parfait glasses. Top with 2 Tbs. coconut-cashew cream, and sprinkle with oats. Repeat layering to fill glasses. Serve immediately.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Can you imagine a world without pineapple upside-down cake? Neither can we! And this recipe is by far the greatest of all time. Brown sugar and butter create a rich, caramel glaze that coats juicy pineapple rings, maraschino cherries and a golden-brown cake—what’s not to love? But the true secret to this cake’s beauty is in the “flip” that happens when you remove it from the oven. It might sound intimidating, but it’s so much easier than you think! The result is a picture-perfect upside-down pineapple cake made from scratch."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 9 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained
9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired
1-1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.
Expert Tips
The cake needs to be turned out of the pan shortly after it’s removed from the oven or the fruit will stick. Be armed with hot pads and a cake plate or board. Allow the fruit to stop bubbling, then place the plate on top of the pan. Carefully lift up the pan, holding the plate firmly in place, and invert the pan. Let it stand for a few minutes before lifting the pan off.
Considered a classic American cake, pineapple-upside down cake first appeared when canned pineapple become available. But the method of creating a lusciously caramel-like topping for a cake, pastries (like caramel rolls), or bread has a long baking history.
The ratio of butter and brown sugar is fairly low, enough to create the rich carmely syrup in the pan, but not so much that the flavor of the fruit is lost.
Skip the brightly colored cherries and replace them with candied or crystallized ginger pieces or a cluster cranberries.
Try fresh chopped herbs or dried spices added to the brown sugar and butter mixture for a flavor twist.
LEMON-GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 62), and begins, "These ice cream sandwiches will become a year-round favorite." Serves 12
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/lemon-gingerbread-ice-cream-sandwiches/.
Ingredients
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground black pepper and salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) soy margarine, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 pints lemon sorbet
4 cups vanilla soy "ice cream"
Preparation
Put molasses in heatproof bowl. Sprinkle baking soda over top. Add boiling water; whisk with fork.
Blend flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and salt in large bowl. Cream margarine and brown sugar in another bowl. Add molasses mixture; beat until soft dough forms. Divide in half, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
Put 1 dough ball between 2 sheets wax paper. Roll into 8-1/2 x 12-1/2-inch shape; remove top wax paper. Using sharp knife, trim dough edges; cut dough into 12 2×4-inch rectangles. Prick with fork. Transfer on wax paper to cookie sheet; chill 30 minutes.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Transfer rectangles from wax paper to cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but still soft to the touch. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely.
Meanwhile, scoop sorbet and ice cream into large bowl; blend with wooden spoon. Freeze 20 minutes or longer, or until mixture is firm.
When completely cool, spread 1/2 cup frozen lemon filling onto bottom of one cookie. Pat filling down with spatula. Place second cookie on top (pricked side up), and gently press down. Scrape away any filling that spreads past edges, and use it to fill in corners. Smooth edges. Repeat with remaining cookies. Wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 ServingsServing Size: 2 cookies
Source: Splenda
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.
You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.
Ingredients
1/2 cup light butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.
Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.
Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes:
These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g
MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH BERRY TRIFLE
This is from September 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 85), and begins, "Even though you can use fresh berries in this trifle, frozen work better because they give off more juicy goodness for the chunks of pound cake to absorb." Makes 16 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/melt-in-your-mouth-berry-trifle/.
Ingredients
2 10-oz. bags organic frozen strawberries, thawed
2 10-oz. bags organic frozen blueberries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 16-oz. fat-free pound cake
1 cup raspberry jam
Preparation
Toss together strawberries, blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in large bowl. Combine yogurt, sour cream and vanilla in separate bowl.
Stand pound cake on side. Cut cake into 4 thin slices lengthwise. Spread first slice with 1/4 cup jam, and top with second slice. Continue with remaining slices and jam, and finish with layer of jam on top of cake. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Line bottom and sides of clear trifle dish or large glass soufflé dish with prepared cake slices. Spoon in half of fruit. Top with half of yogurt mixture. Layer with remaining cake slices, fruit and yogurt mixtures. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 4 hours, or overnight, to allow trifle to set.
ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. It begins, “The Times published Marian Burros’s recipe for Plum Torte every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough. The recipe was to be printed for the last time that year. 'To counter anticipated protests,' Ms. Burros wrote a few years later, 'the recipe was printed in larger type than usual with a broken-line border around it to encourage clipping.” It didn’t help. The paper was flooded with angry letters. “The appearance of the recipe, like the torte itself, is bittersweet,' wrote a reader in Tarrytown, N.Y. 'Summer is leaving, fall is coming. That's what your annual recipe is all about. Don't be grumpy about it.' We are not! And we pledge that every year, as summer gives way to fall, we will make sure that the recipe is easily available to one and all. The original 1983 recipe called for 1 cup sugar; the 1989 version reduced that to 3/4 cup. We give both options below. Here are five ways to adapt the torte.” Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
This was featured in “Eating Well” and can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 eggs
24 halves pitted purple plums
Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)
Tip
To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB FLUMMERY
This was in the May/June 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 63), and begins, "Layers of a fast fruit compote and coconut whipped cream make this traditional Irish dessert a fantastic warm weather finale when you want something light. The longer the coconut-cashew cream is left to chill, the thicker it gets, so make it a day or two ahead, if possible."
Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/strawberry-rhubarb-flummery/.
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1 15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup cane or maple sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (3 cups)
1/2 cup rolled oats
Preparation
Grind cashews in food processor or blender until powdery. Add coconut milk, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Process 5 minutes, or until creamy, stopping once or twice to scrape down sides of bowl. Cover and chill overnight or up to 2 days.
Combine rhubarb, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice in medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes over medium heat, or until rhubarb begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add strawberries and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until strawberries are soft, but not mushy. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Transfer to bowl, let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill.
Toast oats in small skillet over medium heat 3 minutes, or until light brown, stirring often. Remove from heat, and cool.
To serve: Spoon 1/4 cup compote in bottoms of 6 wine or parfait glasses. Top with 2 Tbs. coconut-cashew cream, and sprinkle with oats. Repeat layering to fill glasses. Serve immediately.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Can you imagine a world without pineapple upside-down cake? Neither can we! And this recipe is by far the greatest of all time. Brown sugar and butter create a rich, caramel glaze that coats juicy pineapple rings, maraschino cherries and a golden-brown cake—what’s not to love? But the true secret to this cake’s beauty is in the “flip” that happens when you remove it from the oven. It might sound intimidating, but it’s so much easier than you think! The result is a picture-perfect upside-down pineapple cake made from scratch."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 9 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained
9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired
1-1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.
Expert Tips
The cake needs to be turned out of the pan shortly after it’s removed from the oven or the fruit will stick. Be armed with hot pads and a cake plate or board. Allow the fruit to stop bubbling, then place the plate on top of the pan. Carefully lift up the pan, holding the plate firmly in place, and invert the pan. Let it stand for a few minutes before lifting the pan off.
Considered a classic American cake, pineapple-upside down cake first appeared when canned pineapple become available. But the method of creating a lusciously caramel-like topping for a cake, pastries (like caramel rolls), or bread has a long baking history.
The ratio of butter and brown sugar is fairly low, enough to create the rich carmely syrup in the pan, but not so much that the flavor of the fruit is lost.
Skip the brightly colored cherries and replace them with candied or crystallized ginger pieces or a cluster cranberries.
Try fresh chopped herbs or dried spices added to the brown sugar and butter mixture for a flavor twist.
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