Friday Desserts
It's finally Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six yummy desserts to help you through the weekend, including Smooth & Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream and Low-Calorie Black and White Brownies. Enjoy!
CREAM CHEESE TIRAMISU
This is from Betty Crocker kitchens, and begins, "Make your kitchen game a whole lot stronger with this decadent Tiramisu dessert! It's an elevated showstopper, made with cream cheese, and is the perfect pairing to any great meal. Creamy, comforting, and downright delicious! You know what they say, 'leave the best for last'!"
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Makes 9 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cream-cheese-tiramisu/7e944cbf-d9ce-4641-9c5c-c669d188eb2a.
Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons light rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 package (3 ounces) ladyfingers, (12 ladyfingers)
1/2 cup cold prepared espresso or strong coffee
2 teaspoons baking cocoa
Directions
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in rum on low speed; set aside.
Beat whipping cream in chilled small bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture.
Split ladyfingers horizontally in half. Arrange half of the ladyfingers, cut sides up, on bottom of ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 inches, or round pan, 9 x 1-1/2 inches. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the espresso over ladyfingers. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over ladyfingers.
Arrange remaining ladyfingers, cut sides up, on cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup espresso. Spread with remaining cream cheese mixture.
Sift or sprinkle cocoa over top. Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until filling is firm. Store covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
For 9 grams of fat and 170 calories per serving, substitute reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) for the regular cream cheese. Substitute 2 cups frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping for the beaten whipping cream.
“Carry me up” is the translation for tiramisu, pronounced tir-ruh-mee-SOO. This rich Italian dessert is usually made with mascarpone, a buttery rich, slightly sweet and smooth Italian cream cheese.
Look for mascarpone in the cheese case in large supermarkets, specialty cheese shops or gourmet food stores.
CANNOLI QUESADILLA WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Whip up this Italian-inspired specialty in honor of Mother’s Day. Topped with a simple strawberry sauce or just sliced strawberries, it’s a sweet treat every mom will love.”
POINTS® Value: 3 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 1 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
8 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, or similar product, or to taste
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4 medium whole wheat tortilla
5 oz sweetened frozen whole strawberries, partially thawed and pureed (1/2 a 10 oz package), or whole sliced strawberries if you prefer
Directions
Mix together ricotta cheese, Splenda and almond extract by hand in a large bowl until well-combined and smooth; gently fold in chocolate chips. Chill for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight); drain off any liquid.
To soften tortillas, wrap them in layers of paper towels and then microwave them on high for 30 seconds.
Place about 1/4 cup of cheese mixture down the center of each cooled tortilla; fold tortilla over in half (or roll up burrito-style). Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of strawberry sauce or top with fresh strawberry slices; serve immediately. Yields 1 cannoli per serving.
Notes: Add more Splenda if you prefer your desserts very sweet. And feel free to top the quesadillas with freshly sliced strawberries when they’re in season. Or you can use a combination of pureed and sliced strawberries.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
LOW-CALORIE BLACK AND WHITE BROWNIES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 86), and begins, "This may be the best brownie you’ve ever had—especially since it’s low calorie!" Makes 16 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/low-calorie-black-and-white-brownies/.
Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sucralose-type sweetener
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter or soy margarine, at room temperature
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.
Stir together flour, sweetener and baking powder in bowl. Beat together butter, eggs and vanilla in separate bowl until butter is broken into little pieces. Add applesauce, and stir until blended. Fold in flour mixture until moistened. Fold in white chocolate. Measure out 1/2 cup of mixture, and drop by spoonfuls into prepared pan.
Fold cocoa powder and chocolate chips into remaining batter. Gently spoon chocolate batter over white batter. Batter is thick, so smooth out surface.
Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool before cutting into 1-1/2-inch squares.
BEIGNETS
Who doesn't love beignets? This yummy recipe is from Scott Hocker for the Food Network. He wrote, "In New Orleans, where I live, beignets are served with a snowstorm of powdered sugar. The puffy fried dough squares are sold at loads of places here, including the rightfully famous Café du Monde. (Insider tip: Café du Monde's location in City Park is even more magical than the well-traveled one in the French Quarter.) Anytime you order beignets to go, the paper bag is likewise loaded with powdered sugar. Capture that spirit by tossing these New Orleans–style beignets with powdered sugar in a large paper grocery bag. Or use a baking sheet coated with sugar. Whatever approach you choose, be sure to eat them while they’re piping hot. That’s half the point. The other half is finding yourself covered in white powder after a few bites."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (includes rising time); Yield: 42 beignets; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/beignets-9621174.
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk, warmed but not hot
One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Canola oil, for frying (about 8 cups)
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
Put the milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low to combine. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the butter, salt, egg and remaining granulated sugar to the bowl and mix on low speed to combine. Add the flour in 1/2-cup increments, mixing on low speed just until the dough becomes sticky and pliable, about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put somewhere warm to rise, such as inside an unlit oven, until the dough is roughly doubled in size, about 2 hours. (You can also refrigerate the covered dough overnight.)
Lightly flour a large work surface. Punch down the dough with your fist to remove air, then place the dough on the work surface. Roll the dough into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Make 6 cuts 2 inches apart along the 12-inch side and 7 cuts 2 inches apart along the 14-inch side using a sharp knife or pizza cutter for a total of forty-two 2-inch squares. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes. (If you refrigerated the dough, let the dough rest at least 1 hour.)
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or electric fryer. Put the confectioners' sugar in a large paper grocery bag or on a large baking sheet. Fry 6 to 8 beignets at a time, flipping them every 30 seconds or so, until both sides are golden brown, 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per batch. If using the paper bag, transfer the beignets to the bag and shake to coat well with the sugar. If using a baking sheet, transfer the beignets to the sheet and, using tongs, toss to coat well with the sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately.
CASHEW CRANBERRY ENERGY BALLS
This comes from Renew at United Healthcare, and begins, “Keep these nutrient-dense, no-bake nut and oat bites on hand for a quick snack. Protein, fat and carbs will give you an energy boost during your workout.”
View this online at https://www.medicare.uhc.com/Healthlineu/health/uhcarticle/hwal-cashew-cranberry-energy-balls.
Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons roasted, salted cashews, lightly chopped
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
Ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine oats, cashews, cranberries, ginger and salt; stir to mix. Add peanut butter and honey; mix well to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate 20-30 minutes until mixture is easy to handle. Shape into 1-inch balls. Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.
Tip: For longer storage, place energy balls in a single layer in a freezer container. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before serving.
Serves 16. Calories: 89, Total fat: 5g, Saturated fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 65mg, Carbs: 9g, Dietary fiber: 1g, Sugars: 6g, Protein: 3g
SMOOTH & CREAMY VANILLA ICE CREAM
This was in the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Time (page 48). It begins, "This vanilla bean–flecked ice cream is delicious on its own, and makes the perfect base for fresh fruit add-ins. Simply stir 1-1/4 cups puréed summer fruit (berries, peaches, etc.) into the mixture along with the yogurt, or fold in sliced peaches, strawberries, apricots, or nectarines once you’ve made the ice cream. Sweetened condensed milk and Greek yogurt keep the mixture creamy without using eggs or heavy cream."
While the Vegetarian Time site says it makes 1 servings, the magazine stated that it makes 1 quart. (This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smooth-creamy-vanilla-ice-cream/.).
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups 1% milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1-1/2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
Preparation
Combine milk, condensed milk, and sugar in medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean, scrape seeds into mixture, and add bean pod. Bring mixture just to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and cool 30 minutes. Whisk in yogurt, transfer to covered container, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove bean pod. Pour ice cream base into ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
CREAM CHEESE TIRAMISU
This is from Betty Crocker kitchens, and begins, "Make your kitchen game a whole lot stronger with this decadent Tiramisu dessert! It's an elevated showstopper, made with cream cheese, and is the perfect pairing to any great meal. Creamy, comforting, and downright delicious! You know what they say, 'leave the best for last'!"
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Makes 9 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cream-cheese-tiramisu/7e944cbf-d9ce-4641-9c5c-c669d188eb2a.
Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons light rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 package (3 ounces) ladyfingers, (12 ladyfingers)
1/2 cup cold prepared espresso or strong coffee
2 teaspoons baking cocoa
Directions
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in rum on low speed; set aside.
Beat whipping cream in chilled small bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture.
Split ladyfingers horizontally in half. Arrange half of the ladyfingers, cut sides up, on bottom of ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 inches, or round pan, 9 x 1-1/2 inches. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the espresso over ladyfingers. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over ladyfingers.
Arrange remaining ladyfingers, cut sides up, on cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup espresso. Spread with remaining cream cheese mixture.
Sift or sprinkle cocoa over top. Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until filling is firm. Store covered in refrigerator.
Expert Tips
For 9 grams of fat and 170 calories per serving, substitute reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) for the regular cream cheese. Substitute 2 cups frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping for the beaten whipping cream.
“Carry me up” is the translation for tiramisu, pronounced tir-ruh-mee-SOO. This rich Italian dessert is usually made with mascarpone, a buttery rich, slightly sweet and smooth Italian cream cheese.
Look for mascarpone in the cheese case in large supermarkets, specialty cheese shops or gourmet food stores.
CANNOLI QUESADILLA WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
This was in an old Weight Watchers email (we're talking more than 10 years ago). The plan has changed several times since then.
This recipe begins, “Whip up this Italian-inspired specialty in honor of Mother’s Day. Topped with a simple strawberry sauce or just sliced strawberries, it’s a sweet treat every mom will love.”
POINTS® Value: 3 (value from when this recipe was emailed); Servings: 4; Preparation Time: 10 min; Cooking Time: 1 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
8 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, or similar product, or to taste
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4 medium whole wheat tortilla
5 oz sweetened frozen whole strawberries, partially thawed and pureed (1/2 a 10 oz package), or whole sliced strawberries if you prefer
Directions
Mix together ricotta cheese, Splenda and almond extract by hand in a large bowl until well-combined and smooth; gently fold in chocolate chips. Chill for at least 2 hours (and up to overnight); drain off any liquid.
To soften tortillas, wrap them in layers of paper towels and then microwave them on high for 30 seconds.
Place about 1/4 cup of cheese mixture down the center of each cooled tortilla; fold tortilla over in half (or roll up burrito-style). Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of strawberry sauce or top with fresh strawberry slices; serve immediately. Yields 1 cannoli per serving.
Notes: Add more Splenda if you prefer your desserts very sweet. And feel free to top the quesadillas with freshly sliced strawberries when they’re in season. Or you can use a combination of pureed and sliced strawberries.
Note: Okay, this is me talking. I personally would refrain from the Splenda, simply because I'm not a big fan of non-sugar (read not-quite-sure-it's-not-synthetic) sweeteners. But that's my preference. I would use sugar or no sweetener at all. It's your call here.
LOW-CALORIE BLACK AND WHITE BROWNIES
This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 86), and begins, "This may be the best brownie you’ve ever had—especially since it’s low calorie!" Makes 16 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/low-calorie-black-and-white-brownies/.
Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sucralose-type sweetener
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter or soy margarine, at room temperature
2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.
Stir together flour, sweetener and baking powder in bowl. Beat together butter, eggs and vanilla in separate bowl until butter is broken into little pieces. Add applesauce, and stir until blended. Fold in flour mixture until moistened. Fold in white chocolate. Measure out 1/2 cup of mixture, and drop by spoonfuls into prepared pan.
Fold cocoa powder and chocolate chips into remaining batter. Gently spoon chocolate batter over white batter. Batter is thick, so smooth out surface.
Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool before cutting into 1-1/2-inch squares.
BEIGNETS
Who doesn't love beignets? This yummy recipe is from Scott Hocker for the Food Network. He wrote, "In New Orleans, where I live, beignets are served with a snowstorm of powdered sugar. The puffy fried dough squares are sold at loads of places here, including the rightfully famous Café du Monde. (Insider tip: Café du Monde's location in City Park is even more magical than the well-traveled one in the French Quarter.) Anytime you order beignets to go, the paper bag is likewise loaded with powdered sugar. Capture that spirit by tossing these New Orleans–style beignets with powdered sugar in a large paper grocery bag. Or use a baking sheet coated with sugar. Whatever approach you choose, be sure to eat them while they’re piping hot. That’s half the point. The other half is finding yourself covered in white powder after a few bites."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (includes rising time); Yield: 42 beignets; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/beignets-9621174.
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk, warmed but not hot
One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Canola oil, for frying (about 8 cups)
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
Put the milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low to combine. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the butter, salt, egg and remaining granulated sugar to the bowl and mix on low speed to combine. Add the flour in 1/2-cup increments, mixing on low speed just until the dough becomes sticky and pliable, about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put somewhere warm to rise, such as inside an unlit oven, until the dough is roughly doubled in size, about 2 hours. (You can also refrigerate the covered dough overnight.)
Lightly flour a large work surface. Punch down the dough with your fist to remove air, then place the dough on the work surface. Roll the dough into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Make 6 cuts 2 inches apart along the 12-inch side and 7 cuts 2 inches apart along the 14-inch side using a sharp knife or pizza cutter for a total of forty-two 2-inch squares. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes. (If you refrigerated the dough, let the dough rest at least 1 hour.)
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or electric fryer. Put the confectioners' sugar in a large paper grocery bag or on a large baking sheet. Fry 6 to 8 beignets at a time, flipping them every 30 seconds or so, until both sides are golden brown, 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per batch. If using the paper bag, transfer the beignets to the bag and shake to coat well with the sugar. If using a baking sheet, transfer the beignets to the sheet and, using tongs, toss to coat well with the sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately.
CASHEW CRANBERRY ENERGY BALLS
This comes from Renew at United Healthcare, and begins, “Keep these nutrient-dense, no-bake nut and oat bites on hand for a quick snack. Protein, fat and carbs will give you an energy boost during your workout.”
View this online at https://www.medicare.uhc.com/Healthlineu/health/uhcarticle/hwal-cashew-cranberry-energy-balls.
Ingredients
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons roasted, salted cashews, lightly chopped
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
Ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine oats, cashews, cranberries, ginger and salt; stir to mix. Add peanut butter and honey; mix well to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate 20-30 minutes until mixture is easy to handle. Shape into 1-inch balls. Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.
Tip: For longer storage, place energy balls in a single layer in a freezer container. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before serving.
Serves 16. Calories: 89, Total fat: 5g, Saturated fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 65mg, Carbs: 9g, Dietary fiber: 1g, Sugars: 6g, Protein: 3g
SMOOTH & CREAMY VANILLA ICE CREAM
This was in the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Time (page 48). It begins, "This vanilla bean–flecked ice cream is delicious on its own, and makes the perfect base for fresh fruit add-ins. Simply stir 1-1/4 cups puréed summer fruit (berries, peaches, etc.) into the mixture along with the yogurt, or fold in sliced peaches, strawberries, apricots, or nectarines once you’ve made the ice cream. Sweetened condensed milk and Greek yogurt keep the mixture creamy without using eggs or heavy cream."
While the Vegetarian Time site says it makes 1 servings, the magazine stated that it makes 1 quart. (This can be viewed online at https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/smooth-creamy-vanilla-ice-cream/.).
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups 1% milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1-1/2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
Preparation
Combine milk, condensed milk, and sugar in medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean, scrape seeds into mixture, and add bean pod. Bring mixture just to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and cool 30 minutes. Whisk in yogurt, transfer to covered container, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove bean pod. Pour ice cream base into ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
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