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Even when time is short, you can delight your friends and family with a 15-minute dessert. Chocolate is an almost universal favourite, and it stars in many of our recipes. Here are some fabulous Desserts.
Drunken Fruit Compote
This compote can be served warm with frozen yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream, or Light Crème Fraîche (see recipe, page 21). You even can spread it on toast for breakfast! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten cold.
This compote can be served warm with frozen yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream, or Light Crème Fraîche (see recipe, page 21). You even can spread it on toast for breakfast! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten cold.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 ml) spiced rum
- 2 tablespoons (36 g) orange juice concentrate
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) maple syrup
- 1 cup (175 g) dried apricots, chopped
- ½ cup (75 g) dried figs, stems removed, chopped
- ½ cup (75 g) dried cherries
Combine 1 cup (235 ml) of water with the rum, orange juice concentrate, and maple syrup in a saucepan; stir to combine. Add the apricots, figs, and cherries, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot, at room temperature, or even chilled.
Bananas Sublime
This quick dessert will become a favorite. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand.
This quick dessert will become a favorite. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
- 6 ounces (170 g) lowfat peach yogurt
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) pineapple juice
- ¼ cup (30 g) chopped almonds
Place half of the banana slices in each of 2 individual serving dishes. Top with equal amounts of the yogurt, pineapple juice, and almonds.
Rum-Sautéed Bananas with Mango Sorbet and Almonds
This scrumptious dessert is special enough to finish off an elegant dinner party, especially if the menu has taken your guests to Mexico, the Caribbean, or the Southwest.
This scrumptious dessert is special enough to finish off an elegant dinner party, especially if the menu has taken your guests to Mexico, the Caribbean, or the Southwest.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 large bananas, slightly underripe
- ¼ cup (60 ml) spiced rum
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) maple syrup
- 1 pint (300 g) mango sorbet
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) sliced almonds
Melt the butter in a seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. When the butter is melted and barely sizzling but not yet browning, add the bananas and sauté for 3 minutes, then turn them over and sauté for 3 more minutes. Transfer the bananas to individual dessert plates and set aside.Add the rum and maple syrup to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 1 minute. Spoon the rum sauce over the bananas, then top each serving with a scoop of sorbet and a sprinkling of almonds.
Healthy Banana Splits
Is this a fun breakfast, a wholesome after-school snack, or a delightful dessert? Whatever you call it, it’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get some meaningful nourishment in the process. You may substitute other preserves, fresh fruit, and nuts to suit your own taste.
Is this a fun breakfast, a wholesome after-school snack, or a delightful dessert? Whatever you call it, it’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get some meaningful nourishment in the process. You may substitute other preserves, fresh fruit, and nuts to suit your own taste.
Ingredients
- 2 medium bananas
- 1 cup (245 g) plain nonfat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) apricot preserves
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ⅓ cup (50 g) fresh blueberries
- ⅓ cup (85 g) canned crushed pineapple, undrained
- ¼ cup (18 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Arrange 2 pieces side by side on each of 4 dessert plates.In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, preserves, and maple syrup. Spoon equal portions of the yogurt mixture over each serving of banana. Top with blueberries and pineapple, then sprinkle with the coconut.
Peach-Coco-Mint Sauce
The flavor of this sauce is light, bright, and refreshing. It’s great on frozen yogurt, as described here, but you can also serve it on ice cream, or try it on sponge cake, garnished with fresh peach slices.
The flavor of this sauce is light, bright, and refreshing. It’s great on frozen yogurt, as described here, but you can also serve it on ice cream, or try it on sponge cake, garnished with fresh peach slices.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces, or 420 g) sliced cling peaches in light syrup, drained
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) light coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon (18 g) frozen orange juice concentrate
- 6 large fresh mint leaves
- 1 ½ pints (525 g) French vanilla frozen yogurt
Place the peaches in the blender and add the coconut milk and orange juice concentrate. Tear the mint leaves into pieces as you add them to the blender. Puree until smooth.Scoop equal amounts of the frozen yogurt into 6 individual dessert dishes. Pour an equal amount of the sauce over each serving.
Pineapple and Red Grape Parfaits with Granola
This dessert looks terrific built in a parfait glass or wine goblet. Make sure the granola you use is crunchy and fresh.
This dessert looks terrific built in a parfait glass or wine goblet. Make sure the granola you use is crunchy and fresh.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
- ½ pound (225 g) seedless red grapes
- 1 can (20 ounces, or 560 g) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
- 1 cup (125 g) granola
Place the cream in a bowl and use an electric hand mixer or egg beater to whip it until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons (28 ml) pineapple juice and beat for a few more strokes.Cut the red grapes in half lengthwise and place them in a medium bowl, reserving 3 whole grapes. Add the pineapple to the grapes and toss to combine well.Alternatively layer the fruit, whipped cream, and granola into six parfait glasses. Repeat the layers, ending with a sprinkling of granola. Cut the 3 reserved grapes in half and top each parfait with a grape half.
Ricotta Cheese "Fluff" with Raspberry Sauce and Chocolate Shavings
This rich and creamy concoction is not too sweet, but it’s wonderfully satisfying. If you don’t have a thick hunk of chocolate on hand, feel free to use chocolate chips or even cocoa powder in its place.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (155 g) frozen raspberries
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (18 g) frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 ½ cups (375 g) lowfat ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup (60 g) lowfat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons (60 g) honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 ounce (28 g) semisweet or bittersweet bakers' chocolate
Raspberry Chocolate Fool
This is a pretty dessert, with the bright red berries standing out against the snowy whipped cream. Use homemade cookies or purchase your favorite variety from the store. You can whip the cream in advance; refrigerate it until you're ready to assemble the dessert. (“Fool,” by the way, is an old English name for this style of dessert, not a comment on the cook!)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup (235 ml) whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 chocolate chip cookies, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter, crumbled
- ½ pint (125 g) fresh raspberries
- 4 sprigs fresh mint
