Creamy Chocolate Mousse

Serves 16 • Gluten Free • Photo

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ¼ cup powdered egg whites
• ¾ cup warm water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup candied orange slivers

1 Fill medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Put chocolate in medium bowl and set over simmering water. Cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from saucepan.

2 Combine chocolate, liqueur, and corn syrup in large bowl. Whisk together powdered egg whites and warm water until egg white powder is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. With electric mixer on low speed, beat egg white mixture until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form when beaters are lifted.

3 With rubber spatula, stir about one-third of meringue into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold remaining meringue into chocolate mixture in two batches just until whites are no longer visible. Spoon mousse into 16 dishes. Refrigerate, until firm, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with candied orange.

PER SERVING (1/16 OF MOUSSE AND ½ TABLESPOON CANDIED ORANGE): 170 Cal, 8 g Total Fat, 4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Chol, 39 mg Sod, 26 g Total Carb, 21 g Sugar, 2 g Fib, 3 g Prot, 8 mg Calc. PointsPlus value: 5

Lemon-Pear Tiramisu

Serves 9

• 2 lemons
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup limoncello liqueur
• ¼ cup hot water
• 4 ounces light cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
• 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1½ cups thawed frozen reduced-fat whipped topping
• 18 ladyfinger cookies
• 1 (16-ounce) can pear halves packed in juice, drained and diced

1 Grate 2 teaspoons lemon zest from lemons and squeeze juice from lemons; reserve separately.

2 Stir together 5 tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of lemon zest, ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar, the limoncello, and hot water in medium bowl.

3 Puree cream cheese, ricotta, remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, and remaining 1½ teaspoons lemon zest in food processor. Transfer to medium bowl; add whipped topping and stir until smooth.

4 Brush half of ladyfingers with half of limoncello mixture. Arrange in 1½-quart baking dish in single layer. Top with half of pears, then spread with half of ricotta mixture. Brush remaining ladyfingers with remaining limoncello mixture and repeat layering with ladyfingers, pears, and cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

PER SERVING: (1/9 OF TIRAMISU): 178 Cal, 6 g Total Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 17 mg Chol, 193 mg Sod, 25 g Total Carb, 18 g Sugar, 1 g Fib, 5 g Prot, 106 mg Calc. PointsPlus value: 5