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.

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:

• nonstick cooking spray
• 3 (1/4 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup, divided
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Makes 40 Marshmallows (1 per serving)

1. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. (If you're going to use a standing mixer in step 5, below, use that bowl in this step.) Cover and set aside to soften.
3. In a heavy, medium saucepan set over medium heat, stir the sugar, 3/4 cup corn syrup and the remaining 3/4 cup water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
4. Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan, and cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 240°F. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup.
5. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the hot syrup into the softened gelatin in a slow steady drizzle. Continue beating until the mixture triples in volume and becomes stiff, about 10 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan; smooth with a thin, flexible spatula or a wide knife dipped in water. Set aside at room temperature uncovered until cool and firm, about 2 hours.
7. Dust a large cutting board with 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar. Sift 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar over the marshmallow. Run a small knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert onto the cutting board. Sift another 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar over the marshmallow once you have unmolded it.
8. Cut into 4 even columns the long way using a sharp knife or a pizza roller; then slice into 10 even rows the short way—thereby making 40 marshmallows. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in the remaining confectioner's sugar. Store sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Who knew that making homemade marshmallows would be fun and delicious at the same time? The string of holidays and cooler weather are approaching and these treats are great for hot chocolate, ice cream, smores and other delicious holiday baking. The texture of thee treats is both fluffy and moist. Store-bought marshmallows have so much sugar in them you'll feel like you're bouncing off the walls. Even though the recipe calls for 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, you can cut the sugars in half and they will still taste good. You can store these treats in an airtight container for up to a month in the refrigerator and they'll be fine.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 4 tbsp. applesauce
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• nonstick cooking spray

Makes 6 Servings

1. Preheat griddle over medium heat.
2. Combine buttermilk, egg, egg white, applesauce, vanilla and zest in a bowl. Mix well.
3. In another bowl, combine flours, sugar, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
4. Gently incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to combine. Overmixing will make the pancakes tough.
5. Lightly spray the pancakes griddle. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of pancake batter on the griddle, 1/4 inch thick. Cook until golden brown and  the edges start to set.Flip and cook on the other side.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Diet Cookbook. Who does not love pancakes or waffles once in a while?  You can make these pancakes into waffles and they will taste just as delicious and waffles are a much easier cleanup than pancakes. These treats are light, fluffy and are easy to prepare. These treats are also gluten-free due to the buckwheat flour. I highly recommend adding a touch of ground cinnamon because cinnamon in pancakes or waffles adds a touch more flavor and tastes better. I also highly recommend adding a fruity flavor such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, bananas, apples, peaches, etc. for a more fruity taste. Forget going to Waffle House, come to Katie's House for really good pancakes and waffles.