Healthy Desserts

Somebody said what? Yep, you can eat delicious and ravishing desserts without the guilt.Chocolate doesn't have to be deadly to your diet. Try one of these lightened (but still decadent!) chocolate desserts.

Best Bar Cookie. These gooey bars are as rich as anything you'll find in a bakery. They are a welcome treat in a lunch box, as a weeknight dessert, or any time you need a sweet treat. --Recipe by Kathleen Kanen (January/February 2005)

Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup toffee chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine coffee granules and 1/4 cup hot water, stirring until the coffee granules dissolve.

Combine butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute or until butter melts; stir until chocolate is smooth.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine coffee mixture, butter mixture, vanilla extract, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add coffee mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with toffee chips. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

The simplicity of this dessert belies its sumptuousness. It uses ingredients you're likely to have on hand. The easy procedure requires no mixer. If you don't have 2-ounce ramekins, you can make the dessert in a regular-sized muffin pan.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg white
• 8 teaspoons semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly coat 4 (2-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon sugar into each of the ramekins, shaking and turning to coat. Set prepared ramekins aside.

Combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the butter and 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool chocolate mixture 10 minutes.

Add flour, vanilla, salt, and egg white to chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each prepared ramekin, and top each with 2 teaspoons chocolate chips. Divide the remaining chocolate mixture evenly among ramekins, spreading to cover the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until barely set. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.

To serve four, use five teaspoons flour and double the remaining ingredients. Doubling the flour would make the base too heavy.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat 2 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cool 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently stir 1/4 of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until puffy and set. Sprinkle each soufflé with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately.