| Before we begin "dishing" out some Christmas | | | | whole cheese cake) |
| dessert recipes, let us talk about Splenda. | | | | Ingredients: |
| What is Splenda? | | | | 1-3/4 cups Ricotta cheese |
| Splenda is a sugar substitute. It gained popularity | | | | 3 oz light or low-fat cream cheese |
| in 1998 when the United States Food and Drug | | | | ½ cup sour cream |
| Administration approved it for use in commercially | | | | 1 egg |
| prepared baking products. Sixty other countries | | | | 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| have followed the initiative of the American FDA. | | | | 1 tsp lemon zest |
| Rose Reisman, who wrote Secrets for | | | | 2/3 cup Splenda |
| Permanent Weight Loss (Whitecap Books, 2005) | | | | 3 tsbp lemon juice (preferably fresh) |
| describes Splenda as a better choice sweetener. | | | | 3 tbsp all purpose flour |
| It contains sucralose which is the only sweetener | | | | For garnish: your favorite berries (blueberries, |
| made from sugar and the only sweetener that is | | | | strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries) and icing |
| not associated with health problems. It is not | | | | sugar. |
| digested as a carbohydrate, so diabetics need not | | | | Procedure: |
| worry about experiencing a surge of insulin levels. | | | | Line your muffin pan with muffin paper cups. |
| People who have used Splenda say that one | | | | Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. |
| advantage it has over other sweeteners is that it | | | | Soften the cream cheese and combine with the |
| retains its sweet taste even when heated. | | | | ricotta cheese in a food processor. Add the sour |
| Christmas Desserts Using Splenda | | | | cream, egg, vanilla, lemon juice (and zest), flour |
| You may come across recipes that don't say | | | | and Splenda. Make sure mixture is smooth and |
| Splenda; instead they will say "sucralose." They're | | | | creamy. Pour into individual muffin holes. |
| one and the same. Splenda is available in most | | | | Put the muffin tin in a larger pan containing hot |
| stores and come in tiny, yellow packets. | | | | water. The hot water must come up to 1/3 or |
| Recipe # 1: On a cold Christmas Eve morning, | | | | halfway up the sides of the muffin tray. Put in |
| what better way to wake up sleepy heads with | | | | oven and bake for 20 minutes. |
| the aromatic smell of Pear Muffins coming straight | | | | After 20 minutes, take out the muffin tray from |
| from the oven? | | | | the larger tray. Set aside and let cool. Refrigerate |
| Pear Muffins | | | | for an hour or two. Top with garnish before |
| Preparation Time: 15 minutes | | | | serving. You can use the berries as they are, or |
| Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes | | | | you can mash them so they cover the top and |
| Servings: yields 12 muffins | | | | glide on the side. |
| Ingredients: | | | | Recipe # 3: Spent the whole day in the mall for |
| Canola oil | | | | Boxing Day specials and forgot about dessert |
| 2 cups self-rising flour | | | | tonight? Here is a recipe for a chocolate cake. |
| 2 tsp baking powder | | | | Most of the ingredients are probably already in |
| ¾ cup sucralose | | | | your cupboard so no need to dash out again. |
| 2/3 cup skim or low fat milk | | | | Simple & Quick Chocolate Cake |
| 2 eggs | | | | Preparation time: 20 minutes |
| 2 ripe pears | | | | Cooking time: 30 minutes |
| Procedure: | | | | Serves: 6 |
| Peel and mash the pears and set aside. | | | | Ingredients: |
| Prepare your muffin pan by greasing them with | | | | 1-1/2 cups flour |
| canola oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. | | | | 2/3 cup sucralose |
| Combine self-rising flour and baking powder in a | | | | Pinch of salt |
| large mixing bowl. Gradually add the sucralose. In a | | | | 1 tsp baking soda |
| separate bowl, blend together milk, oil and eggs. | | | | 3 tbsp hot chocolate powder mix (any hot |
| Combine this mixture with the flour mixture. Add | | | | chocolate mix will do) |
| the mashed pears. Blend all ingredients well. Spoon | | | | 1 tbsp vinegar |
| the batter into 12 individual muffin holes. | | | | 8 tbsp canola oil |
| Bake for 15-20 minutes. | | | | 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| These muffins can be stored at room | | | | 1 cup water (or 1 cup skim milk, if you prefer) |
| temperature and eaten the next day, but they | | | | Procedure: |
| are best eaten the same day! | | | | Sift the flour, baking soda, sucralose, salt and hot |
| Recipe # 2: Who doesn't love New York-style | | | | chocolate powder together. Add the rest of the |
| Cheesecake? It is such a popular dessert that | | | | wet ingredients. Blend well. Pour into an 8 inch |
| food stores and supermarkets now sell it frozen, | | | | round baking pan. Bake at 350 degree F for 30 |
| but why spoil the spirit of Christmas by serving | | | | minutes. Let cool and serve with your favorite |
| frozen food? Make this recipe and turn it into a | | | | topping. |
| labor of love. The children, grandchildren, cousins | | | | Note: Instead of icing, you can use English |
| and uncles will love you for this New York-style | | | | devonshire cream. Spoon a few tablespoons into |
| cheesecake made from scratch! | | | | the dessert platter, enough for a slice of cake to |
| New York-Style Cheesecake | | | | sit on. Also, if you have left over slivered almonds |
| Preparation time: 15-20 minutes | | | | or crushed walnuts, you can throw them into the |
| Cooking time: 20-25 minutes | | | | batter. |
| Servings: 12 individual servings (recipe is not for a | | | | |