Desserts
For many people, a main meal is not complete without a pud. However, reducing your fat intake doesn’t mean you have to stop eating desserts. Here is a range of sensational afters, including a rich and delicious chocolate pudding for those who thought they would never be able to eat it again! All the calorie counts include the serving suggestion.
Steamed Chocolate Pudding
Serves 6 • Low Fibre • 250 calories per serving
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup self-raising (self-rising) flour
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup reduced-fat drinking (sweetened) chocolate powder
5 ml/1 tsp instant coffee powder
5 ml/1 tsp baking powder
45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup low-fat sunflower or olive oil spread, plus extra for greasing
1 large egg
30 ml/2 tbsp skimmed milk
1 quantity of Chocolate Sauce, to serve
- Sift the flour, chocolate powder, coffee and baking powder together in a bowl.
- Add the honey, spread and egg, and beat thoroughly until smooth.
- Beat in the milk to form a soft dropping consistency.
- Turn into a lightly greased 1 litre/1¾ pt/4¼ cup pudding basin. Cover with a double thickness of foil or greaseproof (waxed) paper, twisting and folding under the rim to secure.
- Place on a trivet or saucer in a pan half-filled with boiling water, or in a steamer over hot water, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Alternatively, leave uncovered and microwave for 4–5 minutes, depending on the output of your oven, until the mixture is risen and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the dish. The top may still appear slightly moist in patches.
- Turn out and serve with Chocolate Sauce.
Rice Pudding
Serves 4 • Some Fibre • 150 calories per serving
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup short-grain (pudding) rice
30 ml/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
170 g/6½ oz/1 small can of low-fat evaporated milk
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup skimmed milk
A little grated nutmeg
- Put the rice and sugar in an ovenproof serving dish. Stir in the evaporated milk.
- Fill the milk can with cold water and stir into the dish. Stir in the skimmed milk.
- Sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
- Place in a preheated oven at 160ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3 for 2 hours until golden, creamy and the rice is tender.
Apple Strudel
Serves 6 • Some Fibre • 200 calories per serving
4 large sheets of filo pastry (paste)
10 g/¼ oz/2 tsp low-fat sunflower or olive oil spread, melted
2 soft eating (dessert) apples, chopped
Finely grated rind of ½ lemon
45 ml/3 tbsp sultanas (golden raisins)
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
90 ml/6 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche, to serve
- Lay the sheets of filo pastry on a work surface on top of each other.
- Brush the top of the pastry with half the melted spread.
- Mix the apples with the lemon rind, sultanas and cinnamon. Spoon over the pastry, to within about 2.5 cm/1 in of the edge.
- Turn in the short edges, then roll up, starting from a long side.
- Carefully transfer to a non-stick baking (cookie) sheet, gently shaping the roll into a curve. Brush with the remaining melted spread.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for about 25 minutes until the fruit is cooked and the pastry is crisp and golden.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve warm or cold with the crème fraîche.
Spiced Poached Pears with Dates
Serves 4 • Some Fibre • 100 calories per serving
If you use unripe pears, simply cook for longer until tender.
4 ripe pears, peeled but left whole
20 ml/4 tsp chopped stoned (pitted) dates
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup red wine
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup apple juice
5 ml/1 tsp lemon juice
A piece of cinnamon stick
2 cloves
- Cut the cores out of the pears and gently stuff each with a teaspoon of chopped dates.
- Stand the pears in a casserole dish (Dutch oven).
- Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and poach in a preheated oven at 160ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3 for 30–40 minutes, basting once or twice during cooking. Remove the spices and either serve hot or leave to cool, then chill.
Autumn Compôte
Serves 4 • Fairly High Fibre • 150 calories per serving
2 clementines or satsumas
100 g/4 oz no-need-to-soak prunes, stoned (pitted)
2 eating (dessert) apples, peeled, cored and quartered
2 pears, peeled, cored and quartered
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup cold black tea
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup cider
30 ml/2 tbsp reduced-sugar apricot jam (conserve)
60 ml/4 tbsp low-fat plain yoghurt
- Peel the clementines or satsumas and discard as much white pith as possible. Separate into segments.
- Place in a saucepan with the prunes, apples and pears.
- Add the tea, cider and jam.
- Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, part-cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the fruits are tender but still hold their shape. Serve hot, or cool, then chill before serving topped with the yoghurt.
Raspberry Roulade
Serves 6 • Some Fibre • 150 calories per serving
175 g/6 oz raspberries
60 ml/4 tbsp clear honey
2 eggs
50 g/2 oz/½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
15 ml/1 tbsp hot water
45 ml/3 tbsp reduced-sugar raspberry jam (conserve)
- Purée the raspberries in a blender or food processor with 15 ml/1 tbsp of the honey, then pass through a sieve (strainer) into a saucepan to remove the seeds. Heat through gently.
- Put the remaining honey and eggs in a bowl and whisk with an electric beater until thick and pale.
- Sift the flour over the surface and fold in gently with a metal spoon, adding the hot water.
- Turn into a Swiss roll tin (jelly roll pan), lined with non-stick baking parchment.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for 8–10 minutes until the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
- Turn out on to a clean sheet of baking parchment. Remove the cooking paper. Spread quickly with the jam. Make an indent with the back of a knife about 1 cm/½ in from one short end. Fold this over firmly, then roll up.
- Cut into slices and serve on plates with the hot sauce spooned to one side.
Cherry Almond Clafoutie
Serves 4 • Some Fibre • 200 calories per serving
5 ml/1 tsp low-fat sunflower or olive oil spread
225 g/8 oz fresh cherries, stoned (pitted)
100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
1 egg
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups skimmed milk
A few drops of almond essence (extract)
10 ml/2 tsp flaked (slivered) almonds
15 ml/1 tbsp granulated sugar
- Grease a 20 cm/8 in shallow ovenproof serving dish with the spread. Put the cherries in a single layer in the dish.
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the remaining milk and almond essence and pour over the cherries. Sprinkle over the almonds and sugar.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for about 30 minutes until golden and set. Serve hot.
Apricot Floating Islands
Serves 4 • Low Fibre • 90 calories per serving
410 g/14½ oz/1 large can of apricot halves in natural juice
45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey
2 egg whites
A few drops of almond essence (exract)
- Purée the fruit with their juice in a blender or food processor with 15 ml/1 tbsp of the honey. Turn into a fairly shallow ovenproof dish.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the almond essence and whisk in the remaining honey a spoonful at a time until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
- Place the mixture in four or eight piles on top of the apricot mixture.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2 for 25 minutes until pale golden on top. Cool, then chill before serving.
James’s Strawberry Whirls
Serves 6 • Fairly High Fibre • 200 calories per serving
2 eggs
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup wholemeal flour
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
225 g/8 oz strawberries
200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup low-fat fromage frais
5 ml/1 tsp clear honey
- Line a Swiss roll tin (jelly roll pan) with non-stick baking parchment.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail when lifted out of the mixture.
- Mix the flours together and sprinkle over the egg mixture. Fold in very gently with a metal spoon.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread out.
- Bake just above the centre of the oven, preheated to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6, for 7–10 minutes until risen and golden brown and the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
- Meanwhile, keep a few strawberries for decoration. Purée the rest in a blender or food processor.
- Turn the sponge out on to a sheet of baking parchment on a tea towel (dish cloth) and peel off the used baking parchment.
- Spread some of the purée on the Swiss roll and trim the edges, if necessary.
- Roll up, using the paper as a guide. Cool on a wire rack with the join underneath.
- Mix a little of the remaining strawberry purée with the fromage frais and sweeten with the honey. Spoon the rest of the strawberry purée on serving plates. Cut the Swiss roll into slices. Put a slice on each plate, cut side up so you can see the spiral of purée. Place a spoonful of the lightly flavoured fromage frais to the side and decorate with the reserved strawberries.
Fresh Fruit Salad
Serves 4 • Fairly High Fibre • 100 calories per serving
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups apple juice
2 nectarines
1 red eating (dessert) apple
1 green eating apple
1 kiwi fruit
2 clementines
1 pear
- Pour the apple juice into a serving dish.
- Halve the nectarines, discard the stones (pits) and cut into slices. Add to the juice.
- Quarter the apples but do not peel. Remove the cores, then cut into small chunks. Add to the juice.
- Peel and slice the kiwi fruit, then cut each slice in half. Add to the juice.
- Peel and segment the clementines, discarding as much white pith as possible. Add to the juice.
- Peel, quarter and core the pear and cut into small chunks. Add to the juice and stir gently.
- Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to develop before serving.
Vanilla Ice
Serves 4–6 • No Fibre • 100 calories per serving
410 g/14½ oz/1 large can of low-fat evaporated milk, well chilled
25 g/1 oz/3 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
10 ml/2 tsp vanilla essence (extract)
1 egg white
- Whisk the evaporated milk until thick and doubled in volume.
- Whisk in the icing sugar and vanilla.
- Whisk the egg white until stiff and fold in with a metal spoon.
- Turn into a freezerproof container, cover and freeze until firm around the edges.
- Whisk with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Freeze again until firm.
Fresh Fruit Ice
Serves 4–6 • Very Low Fibre • 120 calories per serving
5 ml/1 tsp powdered gelatine
15 ml/1 tbsp cold water
450 g/1 lb any sweet, ripe soft-fleshed fruit (e.g. strawberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, pineapple or melon)
60 ml/4 tbsp icing (confectioners’ sugar)
170 g/6½ oz/1 small can of low-fat evaporated milk, chilled
- Sprinkle the gelatine over the water in a small bowl. Leave to soften for 5 minutes, then either stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until dissolved, or place very briefly in the microwave.
- Remove any thick skin or stones (pits) from the fruit. Purée the fruit in a blender or food processor, then pass through a sieve (strainer), if necessary, to remove any remaining pips or skin. Sweeten with the icing sugar and stir in the dissolved gelatine.
- Whip the evaporated milk until thick and doubled in volume.
- Fold in the fruit purée gently but thoroughly. Turn into a freezerproof container, cover and freeze until firm around the edges.
- Whisk with a fork to break up the crystals. Freeze again until firm.
Marbled Honey Fruit Fool
Serves 4 • Low Fibre • 100 calories per serving
450 g/1 lb fruit of your choice
30 ml/2 tbsp pure pineapple juice
Clear honey, to taste
1 quantity of Sweet Vanilla Sauce, cooled
- Prepare the fruit and cut into small pieces. Place in a saucepan with the pineapple juice. Stew gently until soft.
- Purée in a blender or food processor and sweeten to taste with a little honey. Leave until cold.
- Fold into the vanilla sauce, just until the mixture forms a marbled effect. Spoon into four glasses and chill until ready to serve.
Raspberry Flan with Lemon Fromage Frais
Serves 6 • Some Fibre • 150 calories per serving
50 g/2 oz/½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
2.5 ml/½ tsp baking powder
2 eggs
40 g/1½ oz/3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup low-fat fromage frais
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar
100 g/4 oz raspberries
15 ml/1 tbsp redcurrant jelly (clear conserve)
15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
- Sift the flour and baking powder together.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together with an electric beater until thick and pale.
- Fold in the flour lightly with a metal spoon.
- Line the raised base of a non-stick sponge flan tin (pie pan) with a circle of non-stick baking parchment.
- Turn the mixture into the sponge tin and level the surface.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6 for about 25 minutes until risen and golden brown and the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out on to a wire rack, remove the paper and cool completely.
- Beat the fromage frais with the lemon rind and icing sugar. Place the flan case (pie shell) on a serving plate and spread the fromage frais mixture in the flan.
- Arrange the raspberries over.
- Melt the redcurrant jelly with the lemon juice and brush all over the raspberries to glaze. Chill until ready to serve.
Peach Quark Delight
Serves 4 • Low Fibre • 100 calories per serving
1 packet of sugar-free orange-flavoured jelly (jello)
410 g/14½ oz/1 large can of peach slices in natural juice, drained, reserving the juice
300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups low-fat quark
Mint leaves, to decorate
- Make up the jelly, using the peach juice instead of water.
- Reserve four peach slices for decoration. Purée the remainder in a blender or food processor and stir into the jelly.
- Chill until cold and on the point of setting, then fold in the quark. Spoon into four glasses and chill until set. Decorate each with a peach slice and a mint leaf before serving.