The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts

 

Director, Book Publishing,
Robert Anthony;
Managing Editor, Book Publishing,
Abe Ogden;
Editor,
Laurie Guffey;
Production Manager,
Melissa Sprott;
Composition
, American Diabetes Association;
Cover Design,
pixiedesign, llc;
Photography
, Taran Z,
Printer,
Transcontinental Printing.

©2007 by Jackie Mills. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including duplication, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the American Diabetes Association.

Printed in Canada
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

The suggestions and information contained in this publication are generally consistent with the
Clinical Practice Recommendations
and other policies of the American Diabetes Association, but they do not represent the policy or position of the Association or any of its boards or committees. Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the American Diabetes Association cannot ensure the safety or efficacy of any product or service described in this publication. Individuals are advised to consult a physician or other appropriate health care professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program or taking any medication referred to in this publication. Professionals must use and apply their own professional judgment, experience, and training and should not rely solely on the information contained in this publication before prescribing any diet, exercise, or medication. The American Diabetes Association—its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and members—assumes no responsibility or liability for personal or other injury, loss, or damage that may result from the suggestions or information in this publication.

The paper in this publication meets the requirements of the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

ADA titles may be purchased for business or promotional use or for special sales. To purchase more than 50 copies of this book at a discount, or for custom editions of this book with your logo, contact Lee Romano Sequeira, Special Sales & Promotions, at the address below, or at [email protected] or 703-299-2046.

For all other inquiries, please call 1-800-DIABETES.

American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22311

Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mills, Jackie, 1961-
The big book of diabetic desserts / Jackie Mills.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-58040-274-3 (alk. paper)
1. Diabetes—Diet therapy—Recipes. 2. Desserts. I. Title.
RC662.M55 2007
641.5'6314—dc22
2007018183
eISBN: 978-1-58040-615-4

On the cover:
Lemon–Spice Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

This book is dedicated to
the loving memory of my parents,
Taylor and Creasie Mills.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Great Cakes

Quick Breads

Sweetie Pies

Smart Tarts

Fruity Desserts

Custards & Puddings

Cookies & Bars

Pleasers from the Freezer

Acknowledgments

Writing a cookbook is a group effort, and this one was made possible only because of the many generous people who supported and helped me along the way.

Thanks to Rob Anthony, who got the ball rolling and had the confidence that I could write a great dessert cookbook for people with diabetes.

Deepest gratitude to my sister Carol Lundy and my dear friends Dina Cheney, Judy Feagin, Jan Fitzpatrick, and Julia Rutland, who inspired and encouraged me even when my cookies crumbled.

Thanks to Joyce Hendley, Nancy Hughes, Dana Jacobi, and Robyn Webb, who gave me invaluable advice and answered hundreds of questions (I owe you all!).

Special appreciation to my agent, Beth Shepard, for her capable and intelligent guidance.

Thanks to Laurie Guffey for her editorial expertise, and to Lyn Wheeler for her exactitude in doing the nutrition analysisof the recipes.

And gratitude to all the fine people behind the scenes at the American Diabetes Association who work to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of those affected by diabetes.

And finally, I give exceptional thanks to my husband, Nick Rutyna, for being the love of my life and for loading the dishwasher every night.

Introduction

Isn't it always the case that you crave more of what you're supposed to have less of? Using the recipes in this book, you can manage your menus to include the sweets you yearn for, yet stay within the carb and calorie targets of your eating plan.

The recipes found here are delicious compromises between often disappointing sugar-free, fat-free desserts and sugar-laden, high-calorie sweets that should only be a very rare treat. Most often these recipes use a combination of granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, or molasses along with the granular no-calorie sweetener sucralose (Splenda®). Because most of the recipes use less sugar instead of no sugar, you'll find that the desserts are mouth-watering and enjoyable, but with carb counts that make it possible for them to fit into a balanced meal plan. Best of all, the portion sizes, though not super-sized, are large enough to please the hungriest sweet tooth.

You can and should enjoy desserts without feeling that you're having something second rate or that tastes “good for you.” These desserts are so satisfying and delicious, you'll be happy to share them with others whether or not they are living with diabetes.

Budgeting for Brownies

If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes or you've lived with it for years, you undoubtedly know from your diabetes educator or dietitian how many grams of carb you should have each day. Figuring out how to incorporate dessert into a healthy menu is a matter of simple math.

In controlling blood sugar levels, the number of grams of carb you eat or drink is more important than the source of the carb. (Although, for good nutrition, it always helps if the carb grams are from whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.) For example, if you would like a
Cocoa Brownie
for lunch tomorrow, you can easily fit one into your carb budget. Let's say that your eating plan allows you to have 45 grams of carb at lunch and you're planning on a menu of a turkey sandwich and a small apple. The apple and two slices of whole wheat bread for the sandwich add up to about 45 grams of carb. But, if you make the sandwich open face, with only one slice of bread, you'll have about 15 carbs left—just enough to fit in a brownie. The carbs from desserts must be substituted for—not added to—the number of carbs allowed on your eating plan.

Of course, you can't give up eating nutrient and fiber-rich breads, grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits so that you can have a brownie at every meal! Moderation, variety, and calorie and fat budgeting are always important to ensure your health and well-being. Go ahead and treat yourself on occasion. Just know that desserts don't contain the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that grains and vegetables have, and in the majority of cases, sweets have more calories and fat than a grain or vegetable serving with the same amount of carbohydrate.

Because weight loss or weight control is a major goal for many people with diabetes, remember to budget not only carbs, but calories, too. Note the number of servings and the serving size listed with each recipe. Train your eye and your appetite that a 9-inch pie serves 8 people, not 4, and an ample serving of pudding is 1/2 cup, not 1 cup.

Here's one thing you don't have to think about with these yummy desserts: all of them are have less than 1.5 grams of saturated fat per serving and virtually no trans fat. People who have diabetes are more likely to have heart disease, and a major risk factor for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. Saturated fat and trans fat raise blood cholesterol and should be kept at an absolute minimum.

Oh, Sugar!

Sugar makes foods taste sweet. Everyone knows that, but sugar does so much more than add sweetness. These recipes were developed with just enough sugar to take advantage of the goodness it brings to desserts, but yet low enough in carbs that you can easily incorporate them into your eating plan. Because there's less sugar, though, there are some differences you will notice with these recipes.

Sugar caramelizes as it heats, which creates the desirable brown, tender crust on a cake or muffin that we all love so much. With low-sugar desserts, you'll find some browning, but not to the same degree as in traditional baked goods.

Sugar also acts as a preservative by helping to retain moisture in baked goods, so with less sugar, foods dry out and get stale faster. Plan on serving these desserts within a day or two of baking, or freeze them. You'll find storage recommendations with recipes where appropriate.

Cakes and quick breads made with less sugar don't rise as much as their high-sugar counterparts. Gluten is the protein in flour that creates tiny compartments that trap the gases formed by leavening agents (baking powder and/or baking soda). When less sugar is used, it allows the gluten that is formed to be stronger. The stronger the gluten, the more resistant it is to expansion from the gases, and the less a cake or muffin will rise. Also, with less sugar, the coagulation or “setting” of a batter takes place at lower temperature. So, the cake bakes faster and spends less time in the oven rising.

Sugar plays an important part in frozen desserts, too. In the homemade versions of ice cream and yogurt you'll find here (and also in commercial varieties), the ice crystals are larger than in high-sugar versions. Sugar holds some of the water in sweeter frozen desserts, which lowers the freezing point and makes the ice crystals smaller. Smaller ice crystals give a creamier texture. So low-sugar frozen desserts won't be as smooth and creamy as their high-sugar counterparts.

The Well-Stocked Pantry

When you're making desserts with minimal sugar and fat, good quality basic ingredients are a must. With virtually no butter and little sugar, the real flavor of everything else you put in a dessert really shines through. You won't find recipes in this book that will send you to specialty markets or online shopping, but do be sure to buy the best and freshest basic ingredients for making desserts.

Expand Your Stash of Sweeteners

Molasses, real maple syrup, honey, and brown sugar (the “brown” comes from molasses, which adds great earthy flavor) add more than just sweetness to recipes. Each one has its own unique flavor, and with molasses, maple syrup, and honey, the tastes can be infinitely different depending on the producer.

Use these flavor-boosters in recipes as well as for brushing on the tops of warm muffins, loaf breads, or cakes. If you taste a little sweetness on the top of baked goods, you can do with less sugar in the treat itself.

Another sweetener with loads of flavor is lower- or no-sugar preserves. These are made with half or none of the sugar of regular preserves, and they have brighter, fresher fruit flavor. A little of them goes a long way, too. Spoon them into the center of muffin batter before baking, smear onto toasted slices of loaf breads, or use instead of icing to spread between cake layers.

Or try another trick for topping desserts: use ordinary confectioners' sugar. A tiny bit—about 1 teaspoon—works like magic fairy dust, topping an entire cake, a batch of muffins, or a loaf bread with a sweet sprinkle of flavor.

The recipes in this book are designed to have enough sugar to provide the functional purposes of sugar (browning, tenderness, and volume), yet be low enough in carbs that they're easy to enjoy even when you are eating for good health. To artificially sweeten with success, I like to use Splenda® granular no-calorie sweetener. It functions best of all the artificial sweeteners when heated, and seems to have the least bitter aftertaste of other options on the market.

Fall in Love with Fruit

Because fruits contain natural sugars, they're already sweet, so in most instances you can use less sugar in a dessert made with fruit. Buy fruits that are in season and use them at their peak of ripeness. Berries, cherries, grapes, pineapples, and citrus fruits won't ripen after picking, so if these don't look good in the market, they're not going to improve with age. But, fruits like pears, figs, apricots, peaches, plums, and mangos will ripen in a few days on the counter. Any dessert will taste better made with perfectly ripe fruit.

Because frostings are high in fat, sugars, and calories, they should be a rare treat. But don't feel deprived. Use fruits as fresh, invigorating accompaniments to desserts instead of overly sweet frostings. One of many examples of how this works in these recipes is the
Orange Polenta Cake
. It's a deliciously simple cake on its own, but served with fresh orange segments in winter or fresh berries in summer, it is sublime. Use this trick with your own recipes to boost flavor and cut sugar, calories, and fat.

Make the Most of Nuts and Chocolate

Nuts and chocolate are a real treat when you're watching your fat and calorie intake, so make the best of the small amounts you do enjoy. Buy nuts that are not chopped for optimum freshness and flavor and store them in the freezer to extend their shelf life. Toasting them in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes brings out their nuttiest flavors.

As much as everyone loves chocolate, it contains saturated fat. Even unsweetened dry cocoa has almost half a gram of saturated fat in a tablespoon. So, make the best of the little bit you use. Grating chocolate is an easy way to make a modest amount to go a long way. Topping cakes and puddings with a light sprinkle of grated semisweet or bittersweet chocolate delivers the flavor you crave with minimum fat and calories.

If you haven't discovered miniature chocolate chips, give them a try for muffins, loaf breads, and cookies. A small amount can fleck a dessert with great chocolate flavor. For a delicious drizzle on a cake, pie, or batch of muffins using a minimum of chocolate, chop about 1/2 an ounce of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, place it in a resealable plastic bag, and drop the bag into a pot of hot water for a couple of minutes. Snip a tiny corner off the bag and drizzle on the melted chocolate.

Use Low Fat, Not No Fat

Fat-free cream cheese and sour cream tend to have a chalky texture and an artificial aftertaste. The reduced-fat versions certainly have more calories and fat, but a smaller serving will be more flavorful and satisfying than a dessert made with the fat-free versions.

Eliminate Trans Fat

Never use stick margarine or solid shortenings containing trans fat. Trans fat raises blood cholesterol and reduces the amount of good-for-your-heart LDLs. When a hard fat is used in the recipes in this book, it is trans-fat-free 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread. Look for the Smart Balance® brand—it works quite well in making flaky pie crusts and crispy cookies.

Make More Than Meringue

Meringue powder—also known as dried egg whites—is useful for making meringue toppings for pies, but also for lightening the texture of custards and pie fillings and for creating a light and delicious option to whipped cream (see
Fresh Cranberry-Walnut Pie with Sour Cream Topping
). You'll find it in the baking section of large supermarkets, in baking supply stores, or in discount stores that stock baking supplies.

Spice Things Up

Spices add wonderful flavors and aromas to desserts—but not if they've been in your pantry for years. Go through your spices and toss anything that's been around for more than a year. Replace them with the smallest possible sizes—buying the smaller size will help you keep a rotation of fresh spices in your pantry. And pay for the national brand spices—don't buy the discount brands. There really is a difference in taste.

Tools for Better Baking

A well-equipped kitchen makes making desserts—or anything else—a pleasure instead of a pain. Even if you make desserts infrequently, spending the time and money to stock up on quality basic equipment will help make the task easy and the sweets you bake look and taste great. Buy a few things at a time as your budget allows and soon enough, you'll have a kitchen well stocked for baking.

Proper Pans

Use shiny-surfaced, heavy-gauge aluminum baking pans. Aluminum conducts heat well and heats evenly for uniform browning. Pans with dark surfaces, including nonstick pans, tend to cause over-baking and excessive browning.

If they're not already part of your kitchen inventory, some smaller baking pans are a good investment. Because baked goods don't rise as much when you use less sugar, smaller pans make them seem more proportionate. A 9-inch loaf cake that's only 2 inches tall seems out of proportion, but bake the same batter in an 8-inch pan and your cake's relatively taller. You'll find enough uses for a couple of 8-inch round cake pans and an 8-inch loaf pan to make them well worth the expense.

Parchment Paper

Available in the baking section of most large supermarkets, parchment paper is indispensable for baking cakes and cookies. Taking the extra minute to line a pan with parchment paper will ensure that your cake comes out looking bakery-perfect. It's worth keeping parchment on hand to use for baking cookies to save on cleanup alone. Let the pan cool between batches, wipe off the parchment with paper towels, and use it again to bake the next batch of cookies—no pan washing required!

Pastry Brushes

Keep a few pastry brushes on hand to brush honey, molasses, or maple syrup onto warm baked goods. You will use a lot less of the high-carb, yet great-tasting sweets than you would by drizzling, and you'll get more even coverage. They're also indispensable for brushing flavorings onto ladyfingers or cakes and for making trifles or layered desserts.

Microplane® Grater

Lemon, orange, and lime zest add an unbelievable punch of flavor to endless types of desserts (not to mention savory foods, too). If you don't have one, invest about $12 in a Microplane® grater. These small graters were originally manufactured for use by woodworkers to shave away tiny slivers of wood. With a Microplane®, you can grate a tablespoon of beautiful thin strips of citrus zest in less than a minute. Use it for grating whole nutmeg and chocolate, too.

Offset Spatulas

A small offset spatula allows you to spread a thin, even layer of a frosting or a glaze onto cakes, and a larger one makes it easy to spread thick batters to an even thickness into a baking pan. You'll find lots of uses for these in your savory cooking, too, so it's worth having a couple on hand.