Coffee-Almond Flans

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. slice or slivered almonds, toasted

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 
2. Combine 1/3 cup of sugar and the water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, without stirring, brushing side of saucepan with brush dipped in cool water during first few minutes of cooking time, until syrup turns amber. Immediately pour caramel into 4 (6 oz.) ramekins, gently swirl ramekins to coat bottoms halfway up sides. Refrigerate until caramel is hard, about 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, combine half-and-half and espresso powder in medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until bubbles form. Whisk eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the almond extract, cinnamon and nutmeg in bowl. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk hot half-and-half mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour through sieve set over bowl. 
4. Divide custard  among ramekins. Put ramekins in 9-inch square baking pan. Place pan in oven; add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until flans are just set around edges and jiggle in center, 35-40 minutes. Transfer ramekins to rack; cool 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day. 
5. To serve, run thin knife around edges of flans to loosen from ramekins. Unfold onto plates; spoon any sauce over flan. Sprinkle with almonds. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 9 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. Flan is an open tart-like pastry with the flavor of a sweetened egg custard and a caramel topping. This was my first attempt at flan and it wasn't bad. The combination of coffee and homemade caramel is quite delicious mixed in the with the ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Flan is very sweet so enjoy it wisely. 

Plum & Toasted Almond Dessert Pizza

 Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg white
• 2 tsp. low-fat milk
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla 

Topping:

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 8 ripe purple plums (about 2 lbs.) halved, pitted & thickly sliced
• 1 tbsp. granular sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. sliced unbleached almonds

Makes 8 Servings (1 wedge per serving)

1. To make the dough, put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor; pulse to blend. Add the ricotta, butter, egg white, milk, and vanilla; pulse until the dough begins to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. 
3. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper to form a 10-inch round. Remove the top sheet of wax paper and flip the dough onto the baking sheet; remove the wax paper. Fold the edge of the dough over to form a 1/2-inch rim. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes on the baking sheet on a rack. 
4. Brush the crust with the egg white. Beginning at the edge, arrange the plum slices in concentric circles, overlapping the slices slightly, sprinkle evenly with the sugar. Bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the almonds over the fruit and bake until the crust is golden brown and the plums soften but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into 8 wedges and serve at once. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. Cooked fruit is such a delicious treat and you can enjoy a slice of pizza for dessert. Plum pizza is quite delicious. I reduced the granulated sugar from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup  in the dough, 2 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon for the topping and added ground cinnamon and nutmeg to enhance the flavor of  the plum pizza. The dough for the pizza crust is refrigerated before being rolled out for two reasons: to relax the gluten in the flour and to make the dough easier to work with. This plum pizza is so delicious it will become a favorite at your table. 

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat graham cracker crumbs (about 10 graham crackers)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:

• 2 cups fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cake:

• 4 (8 oz.) packages light cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Makes 32 Servings (1/32 of cake per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
2. To make the crust, stir together cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly  onto bottom of prepared pan; refrigerate. 
3. To make topping, stir together sour cream and sugar in a bowl; cover and refrigerate. 
4. To make cake, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese in large bowl until very smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating  well after each addition. Beat in egg whites, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla until blended. Pour batter over crust. 
5. Bake until center of cheesecake jiggles slightly, 55-60 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Spoon sour cream topping over cake; spread evenly with narrow metal spatula. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. 
6. To make sauce, stir together sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add blueberries and water; cook over medium heat, stirring, until berries soften and sauce bubbles and thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Transfer sauce to serving bowl and refrigerate until cool. 
7. To serve, with thin knife dipped into hot water, cut cake into 32 wedges, dipping knife between cuts and shaking off excess water. Serve cake wedges topped with blueberry sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. You can have your cheesecake and eat it too. The original recipe called for light corn syrup but I eliminated the corn syrup and added ground cinnamon and nutmeg to add more flavor to the crust and it was delicious. I also cut the granulated sugar in this cheesecake and added a little more lemon juice and limoncello for a more lemony flavor and the cheesecake was delicious. The blueberries add a nice, tart flavor to the cheesecake as well. 

Lemon-Poppy Seed Mini-Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. poppy seeds
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Makes 24 Muffins (1 mini muffin per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. 
2. Whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the milk, oil, egg, egg white, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the flour mixture is moistened. 
3. Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 10-15 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack.
4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the lemon juice in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high until it boils, 45 seconds to 1 minute; stir until the sugar is dissolved. With a wooden skewer, poke 5 holes in each muffin. Gradually brush the lemon syrup over the muffins, letting in soak in before brushing on more syrup. Serve the muffins warm let cool completely. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts. These fruity muffins have a nice taste to them. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of granulated sugar but I cut the sugar in half and the muffins were just as tasty. Lemon muffins are quite delicious and they make a nice treat any time of day. 

Oatmeal-Cranberry Classics

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Makes 30 Cookies (1 cookie per serving)

1. Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. 
2. Whisk together the pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl; set aside. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter oil, egg white, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute. Beat in the applesauce. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the oats and cranberries. 
3. Drop the dough by level tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart, making a total of 30 cookies. With the back of a spoon, spread the mounds to make 2-inch cookies. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets on racks about 2 minutes. With a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks and set. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. If you are ever craving cookies, make these. These cookies are like having oatmeal for dessert. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of light brown sugar but I cut the brown sugar in half. The cookies taste just as delicious with the sugar cut in half. The applesauce give these cookies a good sweet bite to them and the dried cranberries give them a nice tart taste.  

Old-Fashioned Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

Makes 36 Cookies (1 cookie per serving)

1. Place the oven rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk together pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger in a medium bowl. Whisk together the oil, molasses, egg, and fresh ginger in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in 1 cup of the sugar. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Let the dough rest about 10 minutes.  
3. Spread the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar on a small plate. Roll scant tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch ball, making a total of 36 balls. Dip the tops of the balls in the sugar and place, sugar side up, on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are cracked, soft in the center, and firm along the edges, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets on racks about 2 minutes. With a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. If you love gingerbread cookies, these treats are for you. These cookies are tasty and addictive. I had to make adjustments to this recipe to make the dough more doughy. I cut the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup, added 1 egg to make it 2 eggs and I added 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to make the cookies more flavorful. If you don't have canola oil on hand, use olive oil instead and the cookies will be just as tasty. 

Banana-Coconut Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup diced mixed dried tropical fruit
• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. unsweetened flaked coconut

Makes 12 Servings (1/12 of loaf per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 5 X 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the sugar, egg whites, applesauce, and oil in a medium bowl. Add the applesauce mixture, bananas, dried fruit, and 1/3 cup of the coconut to the flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
3. Scrape the batter into the pan; sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap; let stand overnight before slicing for the neatest slices. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. You can have your banana bread and eat it too. Banana bread is a nice comfort snack you can enjoy any time of day. This banana bread has a more fruity flavor to it and it's much more moist. The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of granulated sugar but you can cut the sugar in half with all the natural sugars from the fruits and applesauce. I also highly recommend using whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour to make the banana bread more healthy. 

Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil 
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 3 tbsp. fate-free half-and-half

Makes 24 Servings (1/24 of cake per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 352 F. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray. 
2. To make the cake, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the cocoa, chopped chocolate, and espresso in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cocoa mixture, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white in a large bowl; stir in the cocoa mixture until blended. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on the rack. 
4. To make the glaze, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Let stand until cool and thickened, about 15 minutes. Place the cake on a serving plate. Pour the glaze over, allowing it to drip down the side of the cake. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. Chocolate bundt cake is elegant and delicious. The recipe is tasty and delicious. The original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar. I cut the sugar in half and the cake was just as delicious. The bundt cake makes a great sweet ending when you have company over for dinner. You can even make individual bundt cakes and they will still be delicious. The recipe calls for 45-50 cooking time for a whole bundt cake. If you make mini-bundt cakes, cut the cooking time in half because the cakes do rise. 

French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp. gelatin
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 (2-inch) strip lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Basic Tart Crust, prebaked

Makes 8 Servings (1/8 of tart per serving)

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, sprinkle the gelatin over the water; set aside to soften.
2. In the bottom of a double boiler, bring 1 inch of water to a simmer. In the double boiler top, whisk together the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, and egg white. Place over the simmering water and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the softened gelatin mixture and continue cooking and stirring until the gelatin melts, 1/2-1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain the mixture into a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin from forming) and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
4. Just before serving, spread the cooled filling into the tart shell.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. This is what I call an elegant French dessert that tastes good. This tart is PACKED with a lemony flavor. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of granulated sugar but I cut the sugar in half and the lemon tart was still lemony and delicious. This classic French dessert is usually filled with egg yolks, sugar and butter but the egg white, vanilla and gelatin mixed with water make this dessert just as creamy and delicious. I highly recommend serving this dessert to company because it's a nice elegant and sweet ending to a nice meal. 

Basic Tart Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 1 /2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp. ice water

Makes 8 Servings (1/8 of tart crust per serving)

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the egg yolk, then the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to form. Briefly knead the dough with the heel of your hand on a smooth surface. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 9-inch tart pan, pressing to fit, rolling the dough over to form a rim, and trimming off any excess. Freeze 20 minutes. Prick the bottom with a fork.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line the crust with aluminum foil; fill with dried beans. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes; remove the foil and beans. Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes longer. Cool on a rack.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW  New Complete Cookbook. This is a cheap and tasty alternative to a store-bought crust. This tart recipe can be used for sweet pies or tarts. You can omit the sugar in this recipe and the tart crust will still be good. 

Chocolate-Pecan Thins

Ingredients:

• 18 pecan halves
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. apple butter
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Makes 18 Servings (1 cookie per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Spread pecans on small baking sheet; bake until nuts begin to brown and are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking powder in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar, butter, and apple butter in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg white and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low; stir in flour mixture just until mixed.
4. Drop dough by 1/2 tablespoons onto one or two ungreased baking sheets, 1 inch apart, making a total of 18 cookies. Place pecan on top of each cookie. Bake 12 minutes; let cookies cool on baking sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes. With spatula, transfer cookies to rack and let cool completely.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These sweet ending are a great excuse to turn on the oven and warm up the house. The combination of chocolate and nuts is absolutely delicious. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of granulated sugar but I cut the sugar in half and the cookies thins tasted just as delicious. Also, if you don't have apple butter on hand, substitute 2 tablespoons of butter and the cookie thins will be just as good. You can also use walnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts in place of the pecans and the cookie thins will be just as good.

Baked Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. + 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• pinch salt
• 2 cups Dark Chocolate sauce (optional)

Makes 12 Servings (3/4 cup per serving)

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish with nonstick spray and dust with 1 tablespoon of the sugar, shaking out the excess.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 1/2 inches of water and set over medium-low heat; bring almost to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set over the water; whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the substitute and butter until blended; set aside.
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4. Whisk one-fourth of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites just until no streaks of whites remain. Gently pour the mixture into the soufflé dish and smooth the top. Put the soufflé dish in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Put in the oven and add enough boiling water to the pan to reach 1 inch up the side of the soufflé dish. Bake until the soufflé is set but the center still jiggles, about 40 minutes. Serve at once with the chocolate sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. Chocolate souffles are absolutely delicious when they are done right. Bittersweet chocolate or dark chocolate can be used in this elegant dessert because bittersweet and dark chocolate is much more flavorful and are the most seductive chocolate. The soufflé will literally melt in your mouth it's that good. If you don't have egg substitute on hand, you can use a cup of whole eggs and the soufflé will taste just as good.

Apple-Cranberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. granulated cinnamon
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

Makes 12 Servings (1/12 of cake per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Stir together 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a cup; set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, the remaining sugar, baking powder, baking soda, the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, oil, egg, vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt mixture, apples, and cranberries to the flour mixture; stir just until blended.
4. Spoon the batter into the pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle evenly with the reserved cinnamon sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at least 6 hours before slicing for the neatest slicing.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This homemade coffee cake makes a sweet treat for breakfast, brunch or even a sweet snack. The apples, cranberries and cinnamon make this coffee cake flavorful. The recipe calls for either Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples. If you want your cake to have sweeter taste, use Golden Delicious apples; a little more tartness, use Granny Smith apples. If you don't have canola oil on hand, olive oil works just as well. 

Snow-Capped Chocolate Yule Log

Ingredients:

• nonstick spray
• 5 oz. unsweetened chocolate, divided
• 2 tbsp. brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups light whipped topping
• 5 vanilla meringue cookies, roughly crushed
• 2 striped peppermint hard candies, coarsely smashed

Makes 12 Servings (12 slices total, 1 slice per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Coat a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides; coat paper with nonstick spray.
3. Roughly chop 4 oz. chocolate. In a small microwavable bowl, combine chopped chocolate and coffee. Microwave on high 20 seconds; stir until smooth. Set aside and let cool.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
6. In another large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg yolks, remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla until mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes.
7. With a spatula, gently fold chocolate-coffee mixture into egg yolk mixture just until blended. Then gently fold 1/3 of beaten egg white mixture into bowl just until no streaks of whites remain; fold in the remaining egg whites in two additions.
8. Sift half of the flour mixture over chocolate mixture; gently fold just until blended. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture.
9. Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched in center, about 10 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, sift confectioners' over a large clean kitchen towel on a flat surface; immediately invert hot cake over towel. Carefully peel off and discard parchment paper. Starting from a long side, gently roll up cake, jelly-roll style, using towel. Cool rolled cake on wire rack.
11. While cake cools, puree ricotta in a food processor; transfer to a large bowl and fold in whipped topping.
12. Carefully unroll cake, leaving it on towel (cracking is OK). Spread with filling, leaving 1-inch border on long side opposite you. Reroll cake and transfer to serving plate. (Leave as one long log or cut off a branch.).
13. In a small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1 oz. chocolate on high for 20 seconds; stir until smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate evenly over cake; sprinkle with crushed cookies and candies. Slice into 12 pieces; serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers Magazine. Do not be intimidated by this recipe. There are multiple step in this elegant French dessert but it's worth it. This is a healthy take on the French Christmas classic-a Buche de Noel, or a Yule Log. This was my second attempt at making a Buche de Noel and it was a success. The original recipe called for semisweet chocolate. I used unsweetened chocolate in this recipe. Unsweetened chocolate makes a dessert much richer in taste. The combination or chocolate and coffee is heavenly delicious. I also added a 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the chocolate-coffee mixture for a richer flavor and for a Latin flare. I also used whole wheat pastry flour to make this dessert healthier. Also, if you don't have vanilla meringue cookies on hand, don't worry. You can sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top or skip the sugar or meringue cookies to cut back on the sugar. The dessert as a whole is so delicious. I highly recommend serving this to company over the holidays because it  make a perfect sweet ending to a delicious holiday meal.

Mini Vanilla Bean-Pomegranate Cheesecake Tarts

Ingredients:

• 30 mini-phyllo shells, thawed if frozen
• 8 oz. light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Makes 30 tarts (1 tart per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes; let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl briskly whisk together softened cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Split vanilla bean pod in half and scrape seeds into bowl; gently stir into cream cheese mixture.
4. Evenly divide mixture among shells; top each with pomegranate seeds and a mint leaf. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers Magazine. These desserts are a sweet take on traditional cheesecake. These sweet treats have the flavor and texture of a traditional cheesecake. This filling has a lot less granulated sugar, a little more vanilla and they are topped with pomegranate seeds and mint. These tartlets are very tasty and can be enjoyed during the fall and winter holidays. 

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3-4 tbsp. low-fat milk, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 28 tsp. colored sugar or  sugar pearls (9 tbsp. + 1 tsp.)

Makes 56 Servings (1 cookie per serving)

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla; beat well. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to egg mixture, a little at a time, just until blended.
3. Divide dough into 4 equal balls and shape each into a disk; wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (or use 4 baking sheets and cook all at once).
5. Unwrap 1 disk of dough (keep remaining dough refrigerated). Between 2 sheets of lightly floured wax paper, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness; remove top wax paper. Cut into cookies with 2-inch round cookie cutter; freeze raw cookies on wax paper until firm. Place cookies on baking sheets and bake until edges of cookies turn light golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool; repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps to yield 56 cookies.
6. Meanwhile, make icing; in a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and enough of the remaining 2-3 tablespoons milk to make icing smooth and of drizzling consistency. Decorate each cookie as desired with 1/2 teaspoon icing and 1/2 teaspoon colored sugar or sugar pearls. Let icing set before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers Magazine. You can have your cookies and eat them too during any holiday. It's hard to find a sugar cookie recipe because the end result doesn't turn out the way you had hoped. These sugar cookies are soft, moist and flavorful. They're even more delicious without the colored sugar or sugar pearls. Make these cookies for any holiday and they will be devoured. 

White Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 (7 oz.) package unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Makes 24 Servings (1 macaroon per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until frothy. Add coconut, vanilla and almond extract, stirring until combined well.
3. With a small ice-cream scoop, scoop batter by 2 tablespoonfuls and place, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheets. (Or using dampened hands, for coconut mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls.) With dampened fingers, slightly flatten each mound.
4. Bake until macaroons are set and golden brown on the bottom, 22-25 minutes. Lightly spray wire rack with nonstick spray; transfer cookies to rack and let cool completely.
5. Place cookies with rack over sheet of wax paper. Put chocolate in small bowl and set over small saucepan of simmering water until melted. With small spoon, drizzle chocolate over macaroons. Let stand until chocolate is set, 15-20 minutes. (Can be stored in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.)

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. You can have your cookies and eat them too. Plus, they're gluten free. These macaroons have a nice crunch to them and the white chocolate adds a nice sweetness to them. If you don't have almond extract on hand, use coconut extract instead and the macaroons will taste just as good.

Chocolate-Cappucino Eclairs

Ingredients:

Pastry Cream:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup thawed frozen fat-free whipped topping

Cream Puff Dough:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Makes 8 Servings (1 éclair per serving)

1. To make the pastry cream, whisk together the granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk in the cocoa, cornstarch, espresso powder, and cinnamon. Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan; whisk in the cocoa mixture. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking, until thickened. Spoon into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface; refrigerate until cool. Fold in the whipped topping; refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray; line with parchment paper.
3. To make the cream puff dough, combine the water, oil, butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter melts and the mixture boils, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour all at once; cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the pan, 1-2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until the dough is shiny.
4. Fill a large pastry bag (no need to use a tip) with the dough. Pipe onto the baking sheet  to form eight 4-inch long by 2-inch wide fingers. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Turn off the oven. Make a small slit in one end of each éclair. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
5. To assemble the éclairs, with a small knife, make a hole in the end of each éclair. Spoon the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe about 2 tablespoons pastry cream into each éclair. Dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve within 2 hours.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This was the first time I made éclairs and they turned out tasty. These are healthy eclairs but they still tasted delicious. These eclairs are healthy and they have a France meets Italy taste to them. The French and the Italians know how to do dessert. Eclairs are a staple of France and the filling has a taste of Italy to them. The filling is flavorful and creamy and the pastry dough is not bad. These eclairs taste good you'll forget there isn't much sugar in them.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Makes 16 Servings (1 square per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing the foil to extend over the rim of the pan by 2 inches. Spray with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and vanilla; let stand 5 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and egg white to the cocoa mixture; whisk until blended. Stir in the flour mixture until blended. Stir in the walnuts.
3. Scrape the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Lift from the pan using the foil as handles; cut into  16 squares.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. These brownies are a new take on brownies. They're fudgy and they go great as a topping over frozen yogurt, ice cream, or even in a parfait. They're packed with chocolate flavor and it is highly recommended to be washed down with a cold glass of milk.

Buttermilk Sorbet with Crushed Blackberry-Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint + 6 small sprigs

Makes 6 Servings (2/3 cup sorbet with 1/4 cup blackberry sauce)

1. Whisk together buttermilk, honey, 3 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour buttermilk mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to freezer container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
2. To make sauce, combine 1 1/2 cups of blackberries and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. With a fork, crush remaining berries until very coarse puree is formed; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup blackberries and the chopped mint. (Can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
3. To serve, scoop sorbet into 6 dessert dishes and top with 1/4 cup blackberry sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call an elegant dessert. If you're having company over for dinner, serve this dessert. Break out the china and crystal this dessert is worth it. The buttermilk sorbet on its own is good but it's even more  delicious with the blackberry-mint sauce. The buttermilk sorbet is so nice and creamy it melts in your mouth. The sauce leaves a nice aftertaste in your mouth.