Category Archives: Desserts

Desserts, Recipes

Light and Fruity Ricotta Cookies

What says Spring better than a light, delicious and delicately-flavored cookie?  Drawing on early spring fruit like strawberries or lemon, you can add a special sweet taste to the cookie.  Other stand-bys, like lemon and orange extracts add the flavor without adding carbohydrates or calories.

Ricotta cookies are an Italian style cookie that are light and very tasty. I think the recipe works well with low carb flours, although they are more delicate than the full flour version. You can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to make them lemon cookies or a 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract to give them a strawberry flavor. For that matter, you can add a little chopped strawberries to the batter to make them a strawberry cookie. Prefer the taste of orange? Add 1/2 teaspoon orange extract and a little chopped orange to it. With fruits, you need to add the fruit sparingly, no more than 1/4 cup or you will begin to run the carbohydrates up quite a bit.

Ricotta Cheese Cookies

1cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 cup Butter, softened
7.5 ounces Ricotta Cheese
1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 1/2 cups Low Carb Flour
1 tablespoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoons Cream
1/2 tablespoon Water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, add the sugar substitute and butter and use a mixer on low speed to combine them before increasing the speed and beating until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add in the ricotta, vanilla (or lemon, strawberry or orange) and egg.

Reduce the speed back to low and add the low carb flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low until the dough forms. If you are adding any chopped fruit, stir it into the dough now.

Using a tablespoon, drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are just golden brown around the edges. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to allow them to cool before icing.

For the icing, use a small bowl and add the confectioner’s sugar, cream and water.(If you’d like you can add a drop of flavoring extract to the icing. Stir until it makes a smooth glaze. Use a knife blade or a spreader to ice each cookie.

Makes 18 cookies.

Nutrition Information per cookie (vanilla):
Calories: 115 Fat: 9.8 g Net Carbs: 1.4 g Protein: 5.2 g

Using wheat flour and sugar per cookie:
Calories: 189.5 Fat: 7.6 g Net Carbs: 27 g Protein: 3.4 g

Desserts, Recipes

Celebrate Easter with Spring Bird’s Nest Cookies

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With Easter coming up this weekend, I wanted to get this nice spring cookie recipe out to everyone. This is a simple, colorful cookie that’s easy to make–mix, bake, and decorate. I used a sugar-free liquid drink mix to color the coconut. Unsweetened coconut is dried and doesn’t have much coconut flavor when it’s reconstituted. I used a strawberry-flavored drink, so it added a touch of strawberry flavor. If you use food coloring, you might want to add a little flavor extract, like even coconut, to the mix.

I used Russell Stover’s sugar-free Jelly Beans but several other companies make them. Check at your grocery, drug stores, or Wal-Mart for them.

Spring Bird’s Nest Cookies

Recipe by Rene

1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
3/4 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder or Almond Flour

1/4 cup Unsweetened Shredded or shaved Coconut
Few drops of food coloring or Sugar Free Liquid Drink Mix
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Sugar Free Jelly Beans

A couple of hours before making the cookies, put the coconut into a small bowl, add about 1/4 cup of water and the food color or drink mix. The mix will add a little flavor to the coconut shreds. If you don’t use it, you might want to add a little coconut extract as the shreds don’t have a lot of flavor. Stir the coconut around and let sit to rehydrate and dye the coconut.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F.) Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter, sugar substitute , vanilla extract and egg white together with a mixer, or vigorously by hand,  in a medium-sized bowl . Do not over-cream. You just want it to mix together into a smooth paste.

Add the flour and protein powder (if you’re using it) and mix to combine it into a shape-able dough. Make sure all the flour is mixed in.

Separate the dough into quarters and form three ball from each quarter. Place on the parchment paper about 1-1/2-inches apart and use the back of a spoon to press into a flattened round about 1-1/2 inch in diameter. Don’t press them too thinly.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned but the top is not. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Spread the coconut on a piece of waxed paper on a plate to allow it to dry a little while the cookies are cooling.

Make the sugar icing by combining the powdered sugar substitute and cream. Stir to mix it together until it forms a thick, but spreadable icing. If it is too thick, add a little water.

Using a spoon, put about a half teaspoon of icing on a cookie and spread it around the middle of the top, then put about 1/2 teaspoon of colored coconut on it to make a nest. Dip the edges of three of the jelly beans into the icing and place them on the nest. The icing will help them stick to it. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Let the icing dry and enjoy.

Makes 12 cookies.

Nutrition Information per cookie (whey powder):
Calories: 106.4 Fat: 9.1 g Net Carbs: 1.2 g Protein: 3.9 g

Nutrition Information per cookie (almond flour):
Calories: 110.5 Fat: 10.3 g Net Carbs: 1.3 g Protein: 2.3 g

Note:  The carb counts may vary a little depending on the flours and other ingredients you use, but they should be very close.

Close up of this colorful and yummy-tasting cookie.

Full Flavor Non-Low Carb Version

If you want to make non-low carb version using flour, sugar and regular shredded coconut, you just need to dye the coconut as it is already moist. So for that version, put the coconut in a bowl and add a couple of drops of food coloring and stir around, adding more drops of color to adjust the shade to one you prefer.

1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
Few drops of Food Coloring
1/4 teaspoon Fruit Extract, such as Coconut, Pineapple, or Strawberry
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Jelly Beans

Follow the instructions above using the regular ingredients in place of the low carb and unsweetened ones.

Nutrition Information per cookie (regular flour, sugar & coconut):
Calories: 184.5 Fat: 9.6 g Net Carbs: 22.0 g Protein: 1.3 g

Desserts, Recipes

Low Carb Version of Hepburn’s Brownies

Recently, I saw a recipe from the New York Times that said it was Katherine Hepburn’s own for Brownies. It’s a simple recipe and I really wanted to try it, but I also needed to adapt it to low carb. It uses a lot of powdered chocolate and very little flour. I made it and it turns out well, with a rich dark chocolate flavor and a lot of nuts. I plan to make it again, but I am going to make a couple of changes so that it isn’t quite so dark chocolate-tasting as I prefer a lighter taste to my chocolate, being very fond of milk chocolate. When I do that, I’ll post the lighter version.

The best part of this recipe is that it is very low in effective carbs with only 1 net carb in each square. Without further fanfare, here is the low carb adapted recipe.

Low Carb Hepburn’s Brownies

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 stick Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar Substitute
1/4 cup Low Carb Flour
1 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
pinch of Salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees(F.)

Use a medium-sized heavy pot. Over low heat, melt the butter until it’s almost completely melted (or put this over a double boiler to avoid burning). Stir in the unsweetened cocoa powder until completely mixed in. Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes.

Mix the flour, sugar substitute, salt and nuts together in a bowl.

Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time, blending each in well. The mixture will begin to thicken. Add the vanilla and stir it in, then add the flour and nut mixture and stir it in until it is completely blended.

Pour into a buttered (or cooking spray coated) 8×8-inch baking pan. Spread the batter so that it is even, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Do not overbake so that the brownies are gooey inside. Let cool completely, then cut into 16 2×2-inch squares.

Nutrition Information per square:
Calories: 122.5 Fat: 12.3 g Net Carbs: 1.0 g Protein: 2.3 g

Notes:  For the low carb flour you can use CarbQuick, LC Foods Cake Flour, Soy Flour or Almond Flour.  I personally don’t like the taste of Soy Flour, so I don’t use it, but if you don’t mind it, then it will work.

Regular Katherine Hepburn Brownies

For those of you who want the full sugar version, here’s the ingredient list and the instructions are the same:

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 stick Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
1 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
pinch of Salt

Nutrition Information per square with regular sugar and flour:
Calories:170.5 Fat: 11.7 g Net Carbs: 15.2 g Protein: 2.7 g

Are you a Brownie fan?  (Isn’t everyone?)  Which do you prefer — dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Let me know in the comments and let me know how you like the recipe.

Breads, Desserts, Product Review

Product Review: Dixie Carb Counters Applesauce Snackin’ Cake Mix

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Dixie Carb Counter Applesauce Cake Mix.

This past weekend, I tried out Dixie Carb Counters Applesauce Snackin’ Cake Mix (trademarked by DCC), which is one of several snacking cakes that they make.  Generally, I like the baking products from DCC, so I was eager to try this one.

Making the cake is super simple, you just need to add a few ingredients to the two packages of mix that are supplied.

To packet #1, you need to add 4 large eggs, 1/3 cup coconut oil or other oil and 2/3 cup water to make the cake.  Packet #2 is sugar seasoning for the frosting to which you add 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/4 cup water.  Pretty easy.

You just mix the cake ingredients in a bowl, add the included cup of unsweetened apple sauce, mix well and put it in a greased or sprayed with baking spray 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes and you have a lovely, moist cake.  Let it cool, then combine the ingredients from packet #2 to the cream cheese and water and beat until creamy and spread it over the cake.

Applesauce cake without the icing.

The cake makes 9 servings and each serving is 2 net carbs.  You can add in nuts and/or raisins if you like, but they do increase the carb count per serving.  Adding just the nuts brings it up to about 2.5 net carbs, but adding 1/2 cup raisins will add about 2.5 net carbs, so a total of 4.5 net carbs for the raisins alone.  If you want to go that route, I’d suggest using reduced-sugar craisins instead.

The cake has a lovely texture and is very moist and look at that nice layer of cream cheese icing.

After the icing was on the cake, it was time for the taste test.  Both PK and I tried a piece and agreed that the texture was very nice and it was moist.  But we didn’t feel that the apple taste was very strong, so it could have used more of that flavor.  Still with the cream cheese icing, it was a good treat.  I have made better from-scratch cakes, so I don’t think that I’m likely to buy this one again.  If I did, I think it could be improved by adding one packet of sugar-free Apple Cider mix and a little more cinnamon. I would also likely add 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Whey Protein Powder which adds taste as well as protein.

I do have two other packets of snacking cakes that I will be trying in the next few weeks, so I’ll let you know how those stack up.

Nutrition information per one slice of the cake
Calories: 218  Total Fat 0  Carbohydrates: 6 g Fiber: 4 g  NC: 2 g

On a scale of one to five, for flavor I give this cake four spoons.  Good, but not great.

4-spoons

This mix is available by mail from Dixie Carb Counters website or from Netrition.com.

Disclaimer: I have not received any promotional items to review and no one from any of the companies whose products I review have asked me to do so. I have purchased the product and am giving my honest opinion about it. Should any company send me a product to try, I will state it up front and will still give my honest opinion.

Desserts, Recipes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cakes Are Great!

Did you know that chocolate cake can be a very low carb dessert? It really is. When you replace the sugar in it with a sugar substitute and use a low carb flour, the carbs really go down. Here’s a great little cupcake that combines a chocolate hazelnut flour cake with peanut butter cups for a delightful snack or dessert that is only 1.7 net carbs!  I used Russell Stover’s Peanut Butter Cups in this but Reese’s also makes a sugar-free peanut butter cup.  I think the carbs may be a little higher on Reese’s cups though.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cakes

1/4 cup Low Carb Flour
1 tablespoon Hazelnut Flour
1 tablespoon Vanilla Whey Powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 tablespoon Vegetable or Olive or Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
4 Russell Stover Sugar-free Peanut Butter Cups

Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Prepare four cupcake molds by spraying with baking spray with flour.

In a medium bowl, add flours, why powder and baking powder. (If you are not using whey powder, add an extra tablespoon of low carb flour.) Mix in sugar substitute and cocoa powder. Add egg, oil and cream. Mix together well.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake mold. It should bring it to about 2/3rds full. If there is a little extra batter, divide it around. Put a peanut butter cup, bottom down in the top of each of the cupcakes. It will sink in as they cook.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until the cake is done and a toothpick inserted at the side comes out clean. The middle of the cupcake will be the candy.

Peanut Butter Cup sinks to the middle of the cake.

Let cool a few minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar substitute or serve with whipped cream.

Makes 4 cupcakes.

Nutrition Info per cupcake:
Calories: 180.6 Fat: 8.7 g Net Carbs: 1.7 g Protein: 4.9 g

Regular Version using flour and sugar

To make without using sugar substitute, simply replace the 1/4 cup sugar substitute with 1/4 cup sugar and replace the sugar-free peanut butter cups with regular ones.  Replace the low carb flour with regular flour and, if you prefer, you can replace the hazelnut flour and whey powder with regular flour as well.  The rest of the recipe is the same.

Nutrition Info per cupcake with sugar and flour:
Calories: 232 Fat: 10.4 g Net Carbs: 32 g Protein: 5.5 g