The Diabetic Pastry Chef

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c flour
1 c walnuts
reduced-sugar frosting (optional)

Combine beaten eggs and sugar and beat again. Melt together the butter and chocolate. Add to eggs and sugar. Add vanilla.

Sift together the flour and salt and add to above mixture, beat until smooth. Add nuts. Spread in 8×8-inch greased pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool. Serve plain, frost with reduced-sugar frosting or sprinkle with this confectioners’ sugar recipe.

1 lb (16-oz)  container plain yogurt
1 1/2 c crushed strawberries
3/4 to 1 c Splenda
1 8 or 9-oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

Mix together first 4 ingredients. Spread in graham cracker crust and freeze, covered, for 4 hours. Remove from freezer 1/2 hour before serving. Garnish with additional whole strawberries and mint leaves.

Delicious!

Although this is called gingerbread, it’s more cake-like.  Very, very good!   

It’s adapted from a recipe from the book, Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine.

2 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c molasses
3/4 c melted canola butter or regular Smart Balance spread
1 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 c white flour
2 tsps baking powder
2 tsps powdered ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered cloves
1/2 tsp powdered nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c boiling water
1/3 c raisins

Beat eggs and blend in sugar, molasses and canola butter or Smart Balance. Sift together the dry ingredients. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the boiling water to the batter and beat until smooth.

Pour into greased 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

14 whole graham crackers
1 large (2.1-oz) pkg instant sugar-free vanilla pudding
2 c cold milk
1 c frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 20-oz can light cherry pie filling

Line a 9-in square pan with the graham crackers, breaking the crackers if necessary. Prepare the pudding mix with the milk as directed on pudding package. Let stand for 5 minutes and blend in the whipped topping. Spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the crackers. Add a second layer of crackers; top with the remaining pudding mixture and crackers. Spread the cherry pie filling over the top layer of crackers. Chill for 3 hours. Serves 9.

Cool and refreshing!

3 sticks butter
1 c Splenda
1 c brown sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 c bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c crushed pineapple, undrained
Rum Glaze
Plain or toasted coconut

Cream together butter, Splenda and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Sift together the flours and baking powder, and add to creamed mixture a little at a time, alternately with the milk. Add the vanilla and the undrained pineapple and blend well.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Place in cold oven and turn oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 1/2 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan a few minutes. Run knife around edges to loosen and carefully invert. Prick top of cake with fork all over and pour glaze over and let fall down sides of cake. Top with plain or toasted coconut. Garnish middle with a maraschino cherry (optional).

Rum Glaze

1 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c Splenda
1/2 c rum

Melt butter over low heat and add the Splenda and sugar stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the rum.

A taste of the islands!

I sometimes make the following drinks when I tire of water, diet sodas and diet iced teas:

Spritzer
To make a Spritzer, take a tall glass and fill it with ice, add half a glass of fruit juice or apple cider, and half a glass of diet Sprite, diet 7-Up or diet ginger ale, and stir.

Frappuccino
1 c strong coffee
1 c milk
3 T Splenda or other sugar-free sweetener
3 T sugar-free chocolate syrup (optional)
2 c ice cubes
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth and frothy.

Ahhh!

6 tart cooking apples
1 c Splenda
2 T whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1 9-in pie crust in deep dish pie pan, edges fluted

Topping:

1/2 c whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 c melted butter
Light sour cream

Peel, quarter and core the apples before slicing thin. Combine the Splenda, flour, cinnamon, lemon peel, cloves and salt. Toss the apples lightly in this mixture. Arrange the apples in the pie crust, overlapping the slices.

For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cheese. Mix in the melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, or until both crust and topping are golden brown. Serve warm with a dollop of light sour cream.