From Mama's Table to Mine (23 page)
Read From Mama's Table to Mine Online
Authors: Bobby Deen
SO YOU’VE BEEN GOOD ALL DAY. You ate the right foods, you kept yourself active, and you maybe even lifted a weight or two. But now it’s time for dessert, and keeping it healthy can be a daunting task. Well, I say go for it. You deserve it! There is no need to be deprived of a treat after a day well lived. All you need to do is have a few tools at the ready to help you dial back the indulgence.
I’ve always got the fixin’s in the house for light and luscious desserts. When I’m pulling together these treats, I turn to fresh fruits, skim or low-fat milk, Greek yogurt, egg whites, and buttermilk. Armed with these ingredients, plus some indulgent trimmings like chocolate, nuts, sugar, and booze, I can whip up something creamy, delicious, and decadent in no time flat.
When it comes to dessert, my taste tends to lean toward the savory side of sweet. That’s why I created
White Chocolate–Peppermint Popcorn Balls
. I like to make up a batch of this with my nephew Jack. Half the fun for him is in the making of this confection. The other half, in case you were wondering, is in the eating.
But while I tend to go in for something salty and sweet, my brother, Jamie, cannot get enough of his pure sweet desserts. For him, I had to include two special family indulgences. First off is a leaner version of
Mama’s gooey butter cake
. Her cake has become almost legendary at this point, and for good reason; it trumps all other desserts for pure decadence. One of Jamie’s favorite desserts is my Mama’s peach cake, known here in this book as
It IS My Mama’s Peach Cake
because, as it turns out, that cake of my Mama’s is actually pretty good for you. Apart from a few minor tweaks, this recipe is all Mama. There you go, Jamie, and you’re welcome, big bro’.
If you’re a chocoholic like so many people I know, there’s not much better than
Bittersweet Chocolate Cheesecake
. And
Angel Food Cake with Devil Sauce
features such a rich, creamy chocolate sauce, you’ll have yourself convinced it couldn’t be good for you. But it is, oh, it is.
Of course, dessert can be as simple as a bowl of fresh fruit. But dressing the fruit up as a lovely light pie makes it even more fun to eat. My
Raspberry Angel Pie
pairs up raspberry gelatin, meringue, and fresh raspberries. It’s light and airy and just bursting with real fruit flavor. I can’t think of a better way to finish a barbecue or picnic.
See, folks, you don’t have to take the fun out of life just because you want to eat right. With the right ingredients, you can treat yourself while being good. I guess you could say, you can have your cake and eat it, too.
Serves 12
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the cake mix in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and butter. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cake mix, stirring just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish.
To make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs, confectioners’ sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Gently spread the cream cheese filling over the cake mixture.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the center is almost firm but still gooey. Remove from the oven, brush the top of the cake with the melted butter, and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
After: 6g fat, 254 calories
4g protein | 46g carbohydrate | 0g fiber | 422mg sodium
I’ve cut the confectioners’ sugar in this recipe way, way down, so I like to sift a little extra on top just before serving this cake. The ladies think it looks so pretty. Just be prepared for some oohs and ahhs when you bring this one out.
my
Mama’s pudding. This version contains a respectable 192 calories and 4 grams of fat. And I don’t mind saying myself that the taste is out of this world!
Serves 10
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and ¼ cup of the sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup sugar, the cornstarch, eggs, and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the cold mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick and bubbly. Again, be sure not to let the mixture come to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cool completely to room temperature, then chill, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour or overnight.
In a 9-inch square baking pan, alternate the pudding, bananas, and wafers, beginning with pudding and ending with pudding. Serve with dollops of whipped topping, if you like.
After: 4g fat, 192 calories
4g protein | 35g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 152mg sodium
Serves 8
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
To make the meringue: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
Spoon the meringue into the prepared pie pan, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the whites evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until lightly colored. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and leave the meringue in the oven for 30 minutes to cool gradually. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling: Place the gelatin in a large bowl and pour ⅔ cup boiling water over the gelatin, stirring for about 2 minutes, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the ice cubes and stir until the gelatin thickens, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove any unmelted ice cubes. Whisk the whipped topping into the gelatin until it is a uniform color. Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is thick enough to mound into the meringue pie shell.
Spoon the filling into the meringue pie shell and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Top with fresh raspberries, if you like.
After: 0g fat, 167 calories
2g protein | 38g carbohydrate | 0g fiber | 87mg sodium
Dessert is a great time to get more fruit into your diet. So add the fresh raspberries to the top of this pie if you can. If you can’t find fresh raspberries, feel free to substitute fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or any frozen berries you’ve got on hand.
Serves 8 to 10
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
