I’M NOT SURE IF you have noticed, but at some point recently, the sign above the baking aisle listing the different ingredients that could be found there was changed to “cake mixes.” That says a whole heck of a lot about modern American culture and eating habits.
Contrary to what every book, TV expert, and diet ad is telling you,
desserts and sweet indulgences are not some sort of evil, diet-ruining, demon food! Eating a sweet treat now and then is not going to make your
weight skyrocket. Eating
too many desserts and
too many processed sweets—that’s what does the damage.
We sort of lose our mind with sweet indulgences. Maybe the sugar makes us nuts. But here’s a crazy idea: Maybe the reason we eat desserts so irresponsibly is because we’ve told ourselves we can’t have them. Maybe the taboo is the problem, and the reason we can’t just have one cookie, we have to have ten cookies.
I’ve seen fitness magazines that tell you to chew some of weirdly flavored gums like root beer float and mint chocolate chip to sate sweet cravings. It makes me cringe just thinking of it. Television commercials will lead you to believe that a cup of fat-free yogurt tastes just like New York cheesecake. Well, if you believe that, I’ll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.
Truth is, deprivation does not work. It’s much better to have a little and be satisfied than to cut yourself off entirely because you’ll end up bingeing later. Now, I’m not advocating the “Marie Antoinette Diet”—no cake for breakfast!—but there’s a lot of research that suggests that it’s productive to scratch that itch every now and then.
Many people think that a diet means the demise of dessert, but eliminating your favorite foods altogether can actually put a halt to a healthy eating plan. There’s a difference between eating something indulgent occasionally and eating everything you want all of the time. Most anyone can follow a restrictive diet for a short period of time, but sooner or later, most people will break down and way overindulge on the foods they’ve been denying themselves. If you manage it properly, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Think of it as sensible splurging.
Modern life doesn’t always lend itself to homemade meals, much less homemade desserts. When I was a little girl, my grandmother always
had a cake or pie of some sort under the cake dome. Life’s just not that way for most of us—and Lord knows, most of us don’t need an endless dome of cake! We say “yes” to sweet indulgences the way we are able to say “yes” to all good food—in moderation, with appropriate-size portions. A slice of pie should be about one and one-half inches across the top, a brownie needs to be about a two-inch square, and a cookie should be about a tablespoon. Don’t let those small quantities make you feel anxious. Think instead about how good you feel when you treat yourself to a sweet indulgence at the same time you treat your body in a way that will help you thrive.
Some of the same techniques that I employed in the baked goods chapter are used here. For example, some of the unbleached all-purpose flour has been replaced with whole wheat pastry flour as in Brown Sugar–Strawberry Shortcakes and Chasing the Carrot Cake. Low-fat buttermilk replaces cream in Big Rich Texas Sheet Cake and I’ve got a big surprise with the Salted Caramel Sauce. I’ve also punched up flavor and reduced the amount of sugar so that the desserts are just sweet enough, but not too sweet. Applesauce replaces some of the fat in Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cake, yet a judicious amount of butter is used where it needs to be. The chocolate desserts are rich, full, and deceptively lighter in calories, but not in flavor. Claire’s Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies and Chocolate “Brookies” don’t just taste better for lightened up foods—they just flat out taste good. Lighten up, y’all, and pass the cake.
SERVES 10
This is a variation of a homey dessert both my mother and grandmother have made my entire life. Other fruits may be substituted, but peach has always been my favorite. Baking this in cast iron makes for beautiful presentation, as the golden brown batter swells around the fruit.
When I first started teaching cooking lessons at the health spa Rancho la Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, I needed a healthy dessert to serve, so I reworked my family’s original. I was terrified to teach at a health spa: I had a vision of supermodels and lithe athletes gliding effortlessly from the infinity pool to the weight room, then on to yoga and mountain hikes. I thought they would toast to life with potassium broth and I would be so hungry at dinnertime it would make me want to gnaw my arm off. Then a personal trainer told me it was better to be slightly overweight and fit than be underweight and unfit. It was a revelation. Granted, an opinion, not a free pass, but it really made me think. I want to be strong and healthy, not just skinny.
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
¾ cup 2 percent milk
⅓ cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups sliced fresh peaches
½ cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the cobbler, place the butter and oil in a 9 by 13-inch ovenproof serving dish or 10½-inch cast-iron skillet and transfer to the preheated oven to heat, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the milk, agave syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine.
Remove the hot dish with the melted butter and oil from the oven. Add the butter-oil mixture to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon the peaches evenly over the batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake until brown and the batter has risen up and around the fruit, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cobbler to a rack to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, make the vanilla cream. Combine the yogurt, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and stir. Set aside.
Serve portions of cobbler immediately with vanilla cream, garnished with fresh mint.
Spa-aah Cobbler
Calories 191
Fat 11 g
Carbs 22 g
Fiber 2 g
Protein 2 g
Vanilla Cream per tablespoon
Calories 21
Fat .3 g
Carbs 3 g
Fiber 0 g
Protein 1 g
BROWN SUGAR–STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES
MAKES 8
Besides fresh, ripe, succulent strawberries, the key to a great strawberry shortcake lies in the quality of the cake. Forget those stale anemic hockey puck–shaped cakes sold in the produce department. Southern shortcakes are made with sweet biscuits, so say “yes” to these golden brown clouds! As a delicately tangy alternative to whipped cream, I sandwich the strawberries with a sweet vanilla cream made with Greek yogurt.
Raw, or turbinado, sugar is made from the initial pressing of sugar cane. It’s slightly coarse and contains more of the natural molasses. Demerara sugar is similar in that it is light brown in color, but has even larger sugar crystals with a more pronounced molasses aroma and flavor. Both sugars shimmer like a jewel crust on top of these tender shortcakes.
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water (optional)
2 tablespoons raw, turbinado, or demerara sugar (optional)
4 cups sliced strawberries
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and oil and pulse until the mixture resembles meal. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Process until the dough pulls together. (It will be very soft.)
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough to a floured board. Knead several times so the dough comes together. Pat evenly into an 8-inch circle about ½-inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough with a 2¾- or 3-inch round cutter dipped in flour; press the cutter straight down without twisting so the shortcakes will rise evenly when baked.
Place the shortcakes on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the dough together and repeat with remaining dough. Brush the shortcakes with water and sprinkle with raw sugar. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly.
Toss the strawberries with the remaining tablespoon of raw sugar in a medium bowl.
To serve, split the shortcakes horizontally. Spoon the strawberries and juice onto the bottoms, top with the cream mixture, and replace the shortcake tops. Serve immediately.
Calories 283
Fat 9 g
Carbs 44 g
Fiber 4 g
Protein 7 g
BAKED APPLE HAND PIES
WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
MAKES 12 HAND PIES
Hand pies make me smile. My grandmother use to make them in the fall and they are a very special taste memory. They are such an old-school dessert, most often made with biscuit dough and skillet fried to nutty golden brown. Think country Pop-Tart. I’ve mixed things up in this instance; tender, flaky pastry envelops apples simmered with just enough sugar and warm spices.
I’m particularly excited about this Salted Caramel Sauce and I know you are going to love it. Caramel sauce is typically made from sugar, heavy cream, and butter—not a good candidate for lightening up. Here I’m using low-fat evaporated milk, a shelf-stable canned milk product with about 60 percent of the water removed from fresh milk to mimic the cream and just enough butter to give it a silky texture.
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of fine sea salt
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for rolling out
1 tablespoon raw, turbinado, or demerara sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Place the applesauce in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the applesauce is thick and has reduced to one cup, about 15 minutes. (It’s necessary to cook some of the moisture out of the applesauce so the pies aren’t soggy.) Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and stir to combine. Transfer to a shallow bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Roll the piecrust disk to ⅛ inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough with a 3-inch round cutter dipped in flour; press the cutter straight down without twisting so the dough will rise evenly.
For each hand pie, place about a tablespoon of applesauce just to one side on a dough circle. Dip your finger in a bit of water and using your wet finger, dampen the outer edge of the dough. Fold the dough over, using your fingertips to remove any air pockets. Dip the tines of a fork in flour and press to seal. Place on the prepared sheet pan without touching. Brush with water and sprinkle over the turbinado sugar. Transfer to the oven and bake until nutty golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with Salted Caramel Sauce.
Baked Apple Hand Pies
Calories 110
Fat 6 g
Carbs 13 g
Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
MAKES 1 CUP
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ cup low-fat evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sturdy pinch of fine sea salt
Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, without stirring, until it begins to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes (it is important not to stir, or the syrup may crystallize).
When the syrup begins to color, remove from the heat, and very gradually add the milk. (Be very careful because the syrup will furiously bubble up in the pan.) Add the butter. Return the pan to low heat and whisk vigorously until the caramel is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the scraped vanilla bean and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month; it will solidify. Reheat it over a double boiler or in a heavy saucepan over very low heat.
Salted Caramel per tablespoon
Calories 70
Fat 2 g
Carbs 14 g
Fiber 0 g
Protein .6 g
OLD-FASHIONED BUTTERMILK PIE
MAKES ONE 11-INCH PIE TO SERVE 16
Buttermilk pie is old-fashioned, country cooking. Once upon a time, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It was naturally low in fat because most of the fat became the butter. Now, most buttermilk is made from adding cultures to low-fat milk. Many people assume because of its name and thickness that it’s high in fat, but that’s not true, at all. If you’re scared to try it, just remember it’s creamy and tangy just like yogurt.
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch fine sea salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 large eggs
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt together in a medium bowl or quart measuring cup with a spout. Once combined, whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Whisk until the butter is completely incorporated. Add the vanilla and nutmeg. Pour into the blind-baked crust and cover the edge of the crust with strips of aluminum foil. Return to the oven and bake until set, about 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.
Let cool completely before slicing.
Calories 155
Fat 8 g
Carbs 17 g
Fiber .5 g
Protein 3 g
MAKES TWO 22-OUNCE DISKS
The crust makes two disks because, the way I look at it, if you are going to make piecrust, you may as well make enough for two desserts. It’s the same amount of effort and piecrusts freeze really well to use at a later date.
1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
½ cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons ice water
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and salt, then add the butter. Process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
With the processor on pulse, add the yogurt and enough of the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together without being sticky or crumbly. Halve the dough into 2 equal portions, shape into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill until firm and the moisture has distributed evenly, about 30 minutes.
Flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin. (If making a double-crust pie or two pie shells, work with one disk at a time, keeping the second disk chilled.) Place a dough disk in the center of the floured surface. Starting in the center of the dough, roll to, but not over, the upper edge of the dough. Return to the center, and roll down to, but not over, the lower edge. Lift the dough, give it a quarter turn, and lay it on the work surface. Continue rolling, repeating the quarter turns, until you have a disk about ⅛ inch thick.
Ease the pastry into an 11-inch pie plate. Trim 1 inch larger than the diameter of the pie plate; fold the overhanging pastry under itself along the rim of the plate. For a simple decorative edge, press the tines of a fork around the folded pastry. To make a fluted edge, using both your finger and thumb, pinch and crimp the folded dough. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Use immediately or freeze for later use.
Yogurt Piecrust per disk
Calories 1064
Fat 69 g
Carbs 91 g
Fiber 6 g
Protein 19 g
To blind bake, preheat the oven to 425°F. Crumple a piece of parchment paper, then lay it out flat over the bottom of the pastry. Weight the paper with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. (This will keep the unfilled piecrust from puffing up in the oven.)
For a partially baked shell that will be filled and baked further, as with Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and weights. (You can reuse the rice or beans for blind baking a number of times.) The shell can now be filled and baked further, according to the recipe directions.
For a fully baked shell that will hold an uncooked filling, bake the empty shell until a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes total.
SERVES 8
There are times in everyone’s life when you need something sweet. It’s a feeling that won’t go away, it’s a craving that needs to be sated. It’s emergency time and you think if you look at one more blasted tangerine or one more ding-dang frozen grape you are going to scream. I’ve got your back. This sensible splurge is sweet, crunchy, buttery, and best of all? It’s quick. And it’s also easy to toss together for company in nonemergency situations.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon canola oil
½ cup quick oatmeal
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts
Pinch fine sea salt
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 large apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and sliced into sixteenths (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat. (Parchment paper doesn’t work as well because the sugar will stick.) To make the topping, heat the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oatmeal, brown sugar, nuts, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula into a thin layer. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, crumble into bite-size bits and set aside.
To make the filling, heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
To serve, spoon the warm apples into bowls. Top with pie topping and a dollop of vanilla cream. Serve immediately.
Calories 180
Fat 6 g
Carbs 31 g
Fiber 3 g
Protein 3 g
SERVES 8
Pudding cakes are the best of both worlds, the ridiculous and wonderful marriage of smooth creamy pudding and the moist, tender, compact crumb of cake. The cake rises to the top and there’s a warm, puddinglike sauce below. The key to the success of this dessert is a bain-marie, or water bath. It’s used to heat delicate mixtures, often egg-based custards such as this. It creates a gentle, uniform heat around the food—and prevents this pudding cake from becoming a puddle of sweet scrambled eggs.
Other than the bit of fuss with the bain-marie, pudding cakes are a flash to throw together. I particularly like using citrus in desserts. I’ve used lemon, grapefruit, and orange with this recipe, all with equal success. If you want to chef it up a bit, try adding some chopped fresh herbs. Combinations that really sing are basil with grapefruit and tarragon with orange.
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup 2 percent milk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray eight 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins with nonstick cooking spray; place them in a large deep baking dish. Put a pot of water on to boil for the water bath.
Whisk ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, the flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, egg yolks, and mint. Whisk until smooth.
Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared ramekins placed in the roasting pan.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and carefully pour in enough boiling water to come almost halfway up the sides of the ramekins. (Seriously, don’t skip this step.)
Bake the pudding cakes until golden brown and the cakes have pulled away slightly from the sides of the ramekins, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Calories 177
Fat 5 g
Carbs 33 g
Fiber .2 g
Protein 2 g
MAKES ONE 2-LAYER CAKE TO SERVE 24
Carrot cakes are oil based, and oil-based cakes are easy, which is why they became so popular. It’s simply a matter of grating some carrots and measuring out the dry ingredients. There’s no creaming of butter and sugar, no egg whites to whip, no sugar syrup for the frosting. It’s a glorified quick bread. And it’s healthy, right? Big wrong. Remember the oil? More often than not, carrot cakes are a greasy, dense cake laden with frosting and topped with garish exclamations of orange and misshapen squiggles of green. This cake rescues the carrot cake. It still contains oil, but as little as possible and still stays moist.
Yes, you can have cake! Not fake cake, not dry-as-dirt cake—not cake that tastes like it’s meant to keep you regular. Real, moist cake. It’s still simple to prepare and swathed in a swoopy, winter white coat of sweetened cream cheese frosting, but much lower in calories and fat.
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice
2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup golden raisins
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots (4 to 6 medium)
1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pecan halves, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper. Spray again, and dust with flour. Set aside.
Drain the pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. Reserve the drained pineapple and pineapple juice.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Add the pecans and raisins, tossing to combine and coat. (This will prevent the nuts and raisins from sinking to the bottom.) Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and eggs. Beat at low speed until well combined. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, pausing as needed if the mixture starts looking too greasy and unincorporated, until the mixture is smooth. Add the flour-nut mixture, vanilla, and grated carrots. Mix on low speed until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the layers comes out clean and the sides start to pull away from the edges of pans, 35 to 40 minutes. Let layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and place on wire racks, top-side down, to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper. Brush with reserved pineapple juice.
Meanwhile, to make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and salt. With mixer running on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar. Blend until smooth and consistent. Set the frosting aside, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Once the cake rounds have cooled completely, and when ready to frost, place the first layer on a cake stand or a cardboard cake round, “top” side down. Using a small offset spatula, evenly cover the top of the first layer with about 1 cup of frosting. Spread the frosting so that it extends to the edge of the cake. Place the other cake layer, with the “top” side down, on top of the frosting; press to make it level. With the small offset spatula, spread the top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish around the top with the pecan halves. Slice with a serrated knife and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Calories 289
Fat 12 g
Carbs 45 g
Fiber 2 g
Protein 3 g
PINEAPPLE RIGHT-SIDE-UP CAKE
SERVES 16
Upside-down cake typically has pretty upside-down nutritionals. Not here! Pineapple tossed with brown sugar and dabbed with butter excels as a topping for this pineapple right-side-up cake. No heavy skillets filled with buttery molten lava to flip and risk life and limb, just brown sugar goodness scattered across the top of yielding, tender cake.
Replacing oil or butter with applesauce is a great way to add moisture and flavor to your baking while cutting fat and calories. Typically, it’s a one-to-one ratio for most baked goods except cookies, but be aware it can change the texture.
½ pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
⅔ cup low-fat buttermilk
⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the pineapple with the brown sugar. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the egg, egg white, buttermilk, applesauce, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Pour into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved pineapple and drizzle over the melted butter. Transfer to the oven and bake until the sides are pulling from the sides of the pan and the topping is the golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Cut with a serrated knife and serve warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Calories 114
Fat 2 g
Carbs 22 g
Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g
BIG RICH TEXAS SHEET CAKE
SERVES 24
I once heard a joke from one of my cooking class students, a Texan: A teacher was explaining to her geography class about the enormity of the Grand Canyon. Her student Little Johnny was from Texas. He used to brag about how big Texas was, how great Texas was, how strong Texans were, and how Texas was the best state in the entire United States. It wore the teacher, a non-Texan, out. The teacher smiles and says to Little Johnny, “Y’all don’t have anything like this in Texas.” True to Texas form, Little Johnny smiles wide and says to the teacher, “No ma’am, but we’ve got enough dirt to fill it.” Everything in Texas is big: big hair, big diamonds, and big appetites. Texas Sheet Cake is a moist, tender chocolate cake topped with a chocolate frosting and a sprinkling of pecans. This lightened up version is right on the money.
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for dusting the pan
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ cup water
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 12 by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa, set aside.
To make the cake, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, butter, canola oil, and the ¼ cup cocoa, whisking frequently, until melted and smooth. Add to the flour mixture on medium speed until well blended. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs; mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center springs back when lightly touched and the sides just start to pull away from the pan, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
To make the frosting, combine the butter, buttermilk, and cocoa in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the warm cake and sprinkle with pecans. Cool completely on wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife and serve. The cake keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Calories 206
Fat 8 g
Carbs 32 g
Fiber .7 g
Protein 2 g
MAKES ABOUT 40
Some folks like desserts like cakes, pies, and cookies, but I’m predominantly a chocolate fan. I like cakes, pies, and cookies, too—but for me, the best desserts are chocolate and the darker the better. Dark chocolate is actually good for you—in moderation. It’s the best medical news since they figured out that bloodletting doesn’t work. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and they help protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals that are implicated in heart disease, cancer, and other ailments.
These brownie-cookie mash-ups are rich, intense bursts of concentrated chocolate flavor. They get their out-of-this-world taste from the combination of cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. Make sure to look for chocolate with at least 60 percent cacao solids for maximum flavor. In all seriousness, they aren’t actually a health food due to the other ingredients, but I guarantee you’ll be satisfied when you try one or two of these as a sensible splurge.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1½ cups sugar
2 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick silicone mat or parchment paper.
Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high power 30 seconds and stir. Repeat the process in 10 second intervals until the ingredients are melted and smooth. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, egg whites, and eggs on medium speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Decrease the speed to low and add the reserved chocolate mixture, espresso, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until just set and the tops just begin to crack, about 10 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly then remove with a metal spatula to the rack cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Calories 69
Fat 2 g
Carbs 13 g
Fiber .4 g
Protein 1 g
CLAIRE’S CREAM CHEESE SWIRL BROWNIES
MAKES 16 2-INCH SQUARE BROWNIES
These are what I like to call “grown woman” brownies. These are not PTA bake sale brownies. These are dark, rich, knock-your-socks-off chocolate brownies. I was actually bribed for this recipe before the publication of this cookbook. How’d I do it? I have a friend Claire Perez, a French-trained pastry chef, to thank. It may seem counterintuitive to seek assistance from a chef who worked with the master chefs of butter and confection, Jacques Torres and Pierre Hermé, for a “lightened up” brownie recipe. But Claire delivered the goods!
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup canola oil
6 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and vanilla, stirring until creamy and smooth. Separate one of the eggs, reserving the white for later use, and add the yolk to the cream cheese mixture. Stir to combine, then set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and chocolate over medium heat, whisking until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the sugar and stir until melted. Add the buttermilk, applesauce, and vanilla. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining whole egg and the reserved egg white, whisking constantly until incorporated to prevent the eggs from curdling. Add the reserved flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Transfer brownie batter to the prepared pan.
Using a tablespoon, drop 9 dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter. Draw the tip of a sharp knife or skewer through the two batters in a criss-cross fashion to create a swirled effect.
Bake the brownies until the top is just firm to the touch, rotating halfway through baking, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Coat a serrated knife with nonstick cooking spray and cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Calories 199
Fat 9 g
Carbs 27 g
Fiber 2 g
Protein 3 g
