The Diabetic Pastry Chef

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.

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!