Could there be anything greater than having your favorite sweets in the form of these healthy desserts? Women Fitness brings to you Top 5 Healthy Desserts that are bound to leave you craving for more!
1. Baked Blackberry Cheesecake
This light cheesecake is best made with wild blackberries, bur cultivated once will do. You can also substitute them for other soft fruit such as raspberries or loganberries.
Serves: 5
Ingredients :
- Cottage cheese: 175g/ ¾ cup
- Low fat natural yogurt: 150g/ 5 oz
- Wholemeal flour: 15ml/1 tbsp
- Golden caster sugar: 30ml/ 2 tbsp
- Egg
- White egg
- Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon
- Blackberries: 200g/7oz/2 cups
Instructions :
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly grease and line the base of an 18cm/7 in cake tin. Whizz the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until smooth, or rub it through a sieve.
- Add the yogurt, flour, sugar, egg and egg white, and mix. Add the lemon rind and juice, and blackberries, reserving a few for decoration.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake it for about 30-35 minutes, or until just set. Turn off the oven and leave for 30 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake, and then turn it out.
- Remove the lining paper and place the cheesecake on a warm serving plate. Decorate with the reserved blackberries and serve it warm.
Cooks Tip: If you prefer to use canned blackberries, choose those preserved in natural juice and drain the fruit well before adding it to the cheesecake mixture. The juice may be served with the cheesecake, but this will increase the total calories.
Nutritive Information :
- Energy: 94kcals/394kj
- Fat: 1.67g
- Saturated fat: 1.03g
- Cholesterol: 5.75mg
- Fibre: 1.71g
2. Red Berry Pudding with Cream
Serves: 4
Ingredients :
- Frozen raspberries:1 (10-oz) bag , defrosted, at room temperature
- Frozen strawberries: 1 (16-oz) bag , defrosted, at room temperature
- Cornstarch: 2½ Tbsp.
- Sugar: 1/3 cup, plus 2 teaspoons, divided
- Sliced almonds: 2 Tbsp., optional, for garnish
- Light cream: 1/4 cup, chilled
Instructions :
- Set sieve over mixing bowl. Pour defrosted fruits and their juices into strainer. Dip out 3 tablespoons of combined juices and put in small bowl. Whisk cornstarch into berry juice mixture until smooth. Set mixture aside.
- Using a wooden spoon, push defrosted berries through strainer. Occasionally scrape pureed fruit on outside of strainer into bowl using a flexible spatula. When mashed pulp clings in a ball inside strainer, discard it. Measure pureed fruit and juices (there will be about 2 cups) and pour into heavy, medium stainless steel or other non-reactive saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture and 1/3 cup sugar to pot and stir to combine.
- Set pot over medium-high heat and cook, whisking frequently, until berry mixture thickens and looks glossy, about 5 minutes in total, taking care not to let it boil.
- Divide hot pudding among 4 small dessert dishes rinsed in cold water and drained but not dried. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of remaining sugar over top of each serving to prevent a skin from forming. Or, pour pudding into one large serving bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Let pudding sit until it is room temperature. Cover and refrigerate to chill. This dessert keeps, covered in refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
- To serve, sprinkle sliced almonds over top of pudding, if using. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cream over each serving, or pour cream into a small pitcher and pass it separately.
Nutritive Information :
- Calories: 206 Kcal
- Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrate: 45 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Sodium: 9 mg.
3. Blackcurrant Sorbet
This luscious sorbet is easily made by hand, but it is important to alternately freeze and blend or process the mixture five or six times to get the best result. If you make lots of ice cream and sorbets, it is worth investing in an electric ice cream maker.
Serves: 6
Ingredients :
- Easter sugar 150g/ ½ cup
- Fresh or frozen blackcurrants 225g/2 cups
- Lemon juice 5ml/1 tsp
- Creme de cassis 30ml/2 tbsp or other blackcurrant liqueur (optional)
- Eggs whites 2 (optional)
Instructions :
- Pour 300ml/1¼ cups water into a saucepan and add the sugar. Place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then set the syrup aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the blackcurrants in a saucepan with 30ml/2 tbsp water over a low heat for 5-7 minutes until tender.
- Press the cooked blackcurrants and their juice through a sieve placed over a jug. Stir the resulting blackcurrant puree into the syrup with the lemon juice and the blackcurrant liqueur, if using. Allow to cool completely, then chill for 1 hour.
- Pour the chilled blackcurrant syrup into a freezeproof bowl; freeze until slushy, removing and whisking occasionally until it reaches this point. Whisk the egg whites, if using, in a grease-free bowl until they form soft peaks, then gently fold into the semi frozen blackcurrant mixture.
- Freeze the mixture again until firm, then spoon into a food processor or blender and process. Alternately freeze and process or blend until completely smooth. Serve the sorbet straight from the freezer.
Nutritive Information :
- Energy: 103Kcals/438KJ
- Protein: 1.3g
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated fat: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 24.2g
- Sugar: 24.2g
- Fibre (NSP): 1.3g
- Calcium: 25mg
4. Berry Yogurt Popsicles
Serves: 12
Ingredients :
- 1½ cup pitted fresh or frozen cherries
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 24 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt
- 12 (3 oz.) paper cups and 12 popsicle sticks
Instructions :
- In small mixing bowl mash cherries and berries. Drizzle on honey and mix together.
- In paper cups, layer alternating spoonfuls of yogurt and fruit until full. Place popsicle stick or plastic spoon in each cup. Freeze.
- When ready to serve, tear paper cup off popsicle and enjoy.
Nutritive Information :
- Calories: 69 Kcal
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrate: 12 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fiber: 1g
5. Rasberry Passion Fruit Swirls
Serves : 4
Ingredients :
- 300g / 2-1/2 cups, raspberries
- 2 passion fruit /raspberries
- 400g 1-2/3 cups low fat fromage frais
- 30ml /2 tbsp caster sugar
- raspberries and sprigs of mint to decorate.
Instructions :
- Mash the raspberries in a small bowl with a fork, until the juice runs. Scoop out the passion fruit pulp into a separate bowl with the fromage frais and sugar and mix well.
- Spoon, alternate spoonfuls of the raspberry pulp and the fromage frais mixture into stemmed glasses or one large serving dish stirring lightly to create a swirled effect.
- Decorate each dessert with a whole raspberry and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve chilled.
Nutritive Information :
- Energy: 110Kcals/462kj
- Fat: 0.47g
- Saturated fat: 0.13g
- Cholesterol: 1mg
- Fibre: 2.12g