The Diabetic Pastry Chef

1 c regular Smart Balance Spread
1 c brown sugar
3/4 c Splenda
1 c peanut butter
2 eggs
1 c white flour
1/4 c oat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c rolled oats
1 1/2 c semi-sweet or sugar-free chocolate chips

Cream together the Smart Balance, sugar, Splenda and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. In separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and stir into the creamed mixture. Bake at 325 degrees about 17 miniutes.

I like to make ice cream sandwiches by spreading softened, no sugar added, vanilla ice cream between two graham crackers before freezing.  Sometimes I spread a bit of peanut butter on one of the graham crackers before adding the ice cream. Then I press a few sugar- free or semi-sweet chocolate chips around the edges of the softened ice cream. I like to make and freeze these in quantity for when I need a quick sweet treat.

1 1/2 c butter, softened
1 (8-oz) pkg light cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp lemon extract
6 eggs
1 1/2 c cake flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour, divided
2 c diced ripe mangos

Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, cake flour and 1 1/4 c of the whole wheat pastry flour and the eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of flour with the diced mangos. Gently fold in the batter.

Grease a 12-inch tube pan, add the batter and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan before removing. Dust with confectioners sugar or add a light glaze.

Peaches can be substituted for the mangoes in this recipe.

3 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c Splenda
5 eggs
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 c white bread flour
1 c diet 7 up soda

Cream butter with sugar and Splenda until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating for one minute after each addition. Add lemon and vanilla extracts. Add flours and 7 up alternately, beating well after each addition. Pour into a greased and floured large tube pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

A “Skookie” skillet cookie, anyone?

If so, you must try my excellent recipe for Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 c white whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c Splenda
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla
1 1/2 c sugar-free or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped walnuts
Additional Splenda, for dusting

Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream together butter, Splenda and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

Add flour to butter mixture and mix well. Add chocolate chips and nuts and combine.

Press 1 cup of mixture into each cookie skillet and bake at 350 degrees until done. Remove from oven and sprinkle top of each cookie with 1 tsp of Splenda. Top with no-sugar added vanilla ice cream and drizzle with sugar-free chocolate syrup. Serve immediately. Each skillet cookie equals two servings.

1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1 T ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 c canola oil
1 c Splenda
1 c sugar
3 eggs
3 c Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 c walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

In electric mixer bowl with paddle attachment, combine oil, sugar and eggs at high speed until lemon-colored.

Add the dry ingredinets just until incorporated.

Add apples, nuts and vanilla. Dough will be a bit stiff.

Pour batter into a greased 12-cup bundt pan. Bake 80 to 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Serve with warm, sugar-free caramel sauce.

1 18.25-oz box reduced-sugar yellow cake mix
1 large (2.1-oz) pkg instant sugar-free vanilla pudding
1 15 oz can reduced-sugar chocolate frosting

Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in two round layers. Cool and remove from pans.

While cake is baking, make and refrigerate the pudding according to package directions. For a thicker pudding, use a bit less milk than package calls for.

Spread the pudding over the bottom layer of the cake, leaving approximately 1-inch of the edges clean. Place the second cake layer on top.

Open the frosting container and peel off the foil. Re-cover with lid and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between intervals until frosting can be poured, but is not boiling (about the consistency of thick syrup). Let cool a few minutes and spoon over the top of the cake until the top is covered and it runs down the sides of the cake. Place a maraschino cherry in the middle, if desired. Keep refrigerated.

1 c canola butter or 1 c regular Smart Balance spread
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 regular-sized pkg instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c rolled oats
1 c raisins (optional)
1 1/4 c white flour or white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until smooth. Blend in the instant pudding mix, then add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to the batter. Stir in the oats and raisins. Bake by spoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes, or until firm. Cool on wire racks.

1 large (2.1 oz) box instant sugar-free chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 c milk
1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Mix together pudding mix and milk with wire whisk until well combined. Fold in whipped topping. Can be served immediately, but keep refrigerated.

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.