Полная версия
Fruity Fruit Cake
Now don’t expect a very sweet and heavy traditional fruit cake with this recipe. Made with low-fat spread and only a tiny amount of sugar, this cake is wonderfully light and naturally sweetened by the dried fruit.
SERVES 10
low-fat spread, for greasing
150g (5½oz) mixed dried fruit
20g (¾oz) pecan nuts, hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped
100g (3½oz) self-raising flour
100g (3½oz) low-fat, heart-healthy spread
50g (1¾oz) dark muscovado sugar
2 eggs
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
2 Grease a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin with low-fat spread.
3 In a bowl, combine the dried fruit and chopped nuts along with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Set aside.
4 In another bowl, beat the low-fat spread and the sugar together. You might need to squash the clumps of sugar with the back of a fork.
5 Now, add the eggs and beat into the sugar mixture. Using a wooden spoon is fine.
6 Next, add the remaining flour and mix well.
7 Finally, add the flour-coated fruit and nuts and stir to combine.
8 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 18–20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Mint, Caraway & Lemon Roulade
This is an impressive-looking, delicious and light roulade that contains only half the fat compared to one made with butter and full-fat cream cheese filling. This roulade is best eaten on the day it is made.
SERVES 8
6 eggs
175g (6oz) golden caster sugar
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
55g (2oz) low-fat heart-healthy spread, melted
icing sugar, for sprinkling
1 fresh mint sprig, to decorate
For the filling
200g (7oz) low-fat, cream cheese
juice of ½ lemon
275g (10oz) lemon curd
6 fresh lemon-mint or mint leaves
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
2 Line a 27 x 40cm (11¼ x 16in) Swiss roll tin with non-stick baking parchment.
3 Using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until the mixture is very light and fluffy and almost doubled in volume. This will take about 5 minutes, so be patient with it!
4 Now, using either a spatula or a large metal spoon, fold in the flour, grated lemon zest, crushed caraway seeds, and melted low-fat spread. Do not overmix.
5 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake, checking it after 12 minutes. You don’t want too much colour on the sponge, so keep a close eye on it for a maximum of 16 minutes until it is light and springy to the touch. As soon as you can see that the sponge is cooked in the middle but not browning around the edges, remove from the oven and turn the sponge out onto a sheet of non-stick greaseproof paper sprinkled with a little icing sugar.
6 Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a sheet of non-stick baking parchment sprinkled with some icing sugar, and using the baking parchment, carefully roll up into a Swiss roll. Allow to cool.
7 To make the filling, mix the cheese, lemon juice and lemon curd together in a bowl.
8 Now, very finely slice the lemon-mint or mint leaves and mix these into the lemon curd mixture.
9 Only when the sponge has completely cooled, carefully unroll and spread the inside of the sponge with the lemon and mint cream. Now, re-roll the cake using the baking parchment to help keep it all together. Place on a serving dish, dust with a little icing sugar and top with the mint sprig.
TIP
Use a pestle and mortar to crush the caraway seeds.
Courgette Loaf
These sweet loaves make a perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. The bulk of the courgettes keep the calories lower, and with no butter added, a modest slice of this is a lovely healthy treat.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
EACH SERVING 10
low-fat spread, for greasing
3 medium eggs
240ml (8½fl oz) light olive oil
480g (17oz) caster sugar
720g (1lb 9oz) plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder, sifted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
480g (17oz) courgettes, coarsely grated
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g (1¾ oz) chopped walnuts
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
2 Grease 2 x 900g (2lb) loaf tins with low-fat spread and line the bases with baking parchment.
3 Using a hand whisk, mix the eggs and olive oil together in a large bowl.
4 Next, add the caster sugar and whisk for a further 3 minutes.
5 Now, fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and cinnamon with a large metal spoon, then add the grated courgettes, vanilla extract and chopped walnuts and mix well.
6 Pour the cake mixture evenly between the prepared loaf tins and bake for 1 hour or until risen and golden. Serve warm or cold with a lovely cup of tea!
Butter-free Fudge Cake
In this recipe I have used homemade apple sauce instead of butter, making it a half-fat version compared to a usual fudge cake. This cake is lovely served just as it is, but if you want to cover the top with a chocolate frosting, take a look at the frosting recipes.
SERVES 9
light cooking spray, for coating
85g (3oz) wholemeal plain flour
25g (1oz) oatbran
30g (1oz) cocoa powder
100g (3½oz) dark brown sugar
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g (6oz) homemade apple sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oil or light olive oil
2 tbsp strong black coffee
1 egg white, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.
2 Spray a 20cm (8in) square cake tin with light cooking spray and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
3 Place the flour, oatbran, cocoa, both sugars and the bicarbonate of soda in a medium-sized bowl and stir to mix well.
4 Now, combine the apple sauce, oil, coffee, beaten egg white and vanilla extract and stir to mix. Add the apple sauce mixture to the flour mixture and combine well.
5 Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a wooden skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
TIP
This cake is delicious served with a squirt of Raspberry Coulis.
Almond & Hazelnut Gateau
I love making this nutty, butter-free gateau. It’s incredibly light and works fabulously with a thick layer of fat-free frosting on top. Hazelnuts and almonds are a great source of vitamin E, dietary fibre, heart-healthy B vitamins and ‘good fats’, and the eggs add the protein. This cake is best eaten on the day it is made.
SERVES 8
(LARGER SLICES ALLOWED, AS IS THIS IS A LOVELY LOW-FAT CAKE)
light cooking spray, for coating
4 medium eggs
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
5½ tbsp plain flour
50g (1¾oz) ground almonds
50g (1¾oz) ground hazelnuts
50g (1¾oz) flaked almonds
To decorate
frosting of your choice
raspberries
plain dark chocolate scrapings
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
2 Spray two 20cm (8in) sandwich tins with light cooking spray to make the cake easy to turn out.
3 Using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale, fluffy and doubled in volume. Be patient, as this will take about 5 minutes.
4 Now, sift in the flour from a good height. Add the ground almonds and hazelnuts and fold in with a large, clean metal spoon using as few strokes as possible.
5 Tip the mixture gently into the prepared tins and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
6 Bake for 12 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
7 Cover one cake with delicious low-fat frosting and maybe some raspberries. Place the second cake on top. Decorate with more low-fat frosting, raspberries and dark chocolate scrapings.
Chocolate Cake with Spicy Pears
This butter- and flour-free cake has a lovely light texture and great flavour. Make sure you use best quality plain dark chocolate, as this will contain less fat and sugar and gives a better flavour. Cook the pears a day ahead and chill in the refrigerator overnight. The cake is best eaten on the day it is baked.
SERVES 4
For the cake
low-fat spread, for greasing
110g (4oz) caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for dusting
1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
110g (4oz) bitter dark chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated
70g (2½oz) cornflour
icing sugar, sifted, for dusting
low-fat crème fraîche, to serve
For the spicy pears
85g (3oz) caster sugar
2 tbsp clear, runny honey
4 cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 x 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
thinly pared zest of 1 orange
290 ml (10fl oz) Muscat wine
juice of ½ lemon
4 firm, ripe pears
8 cloves
1 Start by making the pears. Put 150ml (5fl oz) water, the sugar and honey into a large heavy saucepan and mix together over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Bring to the boil, then add the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger and orange zest and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, or until slightly thickened and syrupy.
2 Allow the syrup to cool slightly, then mix in the wine and lemon juice.
3 Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact and stud each pear with 2 cloves. Immediately submerge the pears into the syrup to prevent discolouring. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pears to cool completely in the syrup. Refrigerate overnight.
4 The next day, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
5 Grease a 23cm (9in) cake tin with low-fat spread and line the base with a disc of greaseproof paper. Dust lightly with the 1 tablespoon sugar and then the 1 tablespoon flour, tapping out the excess.
6 Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl isn’t touching the water, and stir continuously until the chocolate has melted, then remove from the heat.
7 In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with all but 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar until pale and creamy. Mix the cornflour into the egg yolk mixture, then pour in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly.
8 Using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until shiny and stiff. Using a large metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the egg and chocolate mixture and pour into the prepared tin.
9 Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 20–25 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
10 Lightly dust the cake with icing sugar just before serving with the well-chilled pears and a scoop of low-fat crème fraîche.
Beetroot & Chocolate Cake
Chocolate and beetroot are an unusual combination but one that works well. Using light olive oil instead of butter and taking into account the antioxidants and potassium contained in the beetroot and dark chocolate, this cake is perfect for the most health-conscious, sweet teeth around.
SERVES 12
low-fat spread, for greasing
50g (1¾oz) cocoa powder
175g (6oz) plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) caster sugar
250g (9oz) cooked beetroot in juice
3 eggs
200ml (7fl oz) light olive oil
100g (3½oz) good-quality plain dark chocolate, finely chopped
170g (6oz) icing sugar
low-fat crème fraîche, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
2 Grease a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed cake tin with a little low-fat spread and line the base with baking parchment.
3 Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
4 Drain the beetroot, reserving the juice, then put the beetroot in a food processor along with the eggs and the olive oil and blitz until smooth.
5 Now, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, beat in the beetroot mixture, a bit at a time to form a smooth batter.
6 Next, add the chopped chocolate and combine well. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool.
7 To make the icing, simply mix the icing sugar with a little of the reserved beetroot juice to make a deep purple pourable icing. Drizzle the icing over the cake and serve with a dollop of low-fat crème fraîche.
TIP
Remember that it is important to include some low-fat dairy into your diet to support your bones and circulatory system, so a dollop of low-fat crème fraîche is a perfect accompaniment to a small slice of cake.
Fat-free Chocolate Fudge Brownies
You can enjoy these brownies guilt-free. I have substituted the butter with apple sauce. You can make your own apple sauce, of course, or you can buy it in some health food shops. A friend of mine uses baby apple sauce, which makes sense because this is completely natural with no added sugar.
SERVES 9
low-fat spread, for greasing
3 egg whites
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
85g (3oz) cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
225g (8oz) caster sugar
55g (2oz) chopped walnuts or pecan nuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
70g (2½oz) unsweetened apple sauce
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.
2 Grease a 20cm (8in) square cake tin with low-fat spread.
3 Using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until doubled in volume and stiff peaks form.
4 In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together, then mix in the sugar and the chopped nuts. (I quite like a mixture of walnuts and pecans).
5 Finally, add the vanilla extract, apple sauce and the stiff egg whites and fold in gently using a large metal spoon or spatula. Do not overmix.
6 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20–25 minutes or until the edges are firmly set and the centre is almost set. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
7 Once cold, dust with cocoa powder, then cut into squares and serve.
Nutty Banana Cake
This is a delicious and healthy, fruity nutty cake and just so easy to make! I use apple sauce instead of fat and wholemeal flour to boost the fibre content. Try to use very ripe bananas. Did you know that you can freeze ripe bananas to keep them safe until you have enough to make your dish? Freeze them, then thaw out for a couple of hours, peel and use as normal.
SERVES 12
low-fat spread, for greasing
6 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
100g (3½oz) clear, runny honey
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed up well with a fork
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g (7oz) wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g (1¾oz) chopped walnuts
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.
2 Grease a 23 x 12cm (9 x 5in) loaf tin with low-fat spread and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
3 In a large bowl, mix the apple sauce and honey together.
4 Next, add the eggs and beat well, then stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract, making sure everything is well combined.
5 Stir in the flour. Put the bicarbonate of soda into a cup and add 4 tablespoons of hand-hot water. Stir to mix and pour immediately into the batter, stirring quickly and well.
6 Finally, stir in the chopped walnuts and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 55–60 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
TIP
If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, peel and pop in the microwave for 20 seconds and they’ll be perfect!
Low-fat Frosted Carrot Cake
This is a very easy recipe that my whole family enjoys. I have added a little ground ginger just because I love the combination, but feel free to omit it if you prefer. I love this cake without the frosting just as much as with it, but if you are using the frosting, add it just before serving, as it will soak into the cake if left for too long.
SERVES 8
low-fat spread, for greasing
2 medium eggs
175g (6oz) dark muscovado sugar
75ml (3fl oz) light olive oil
200g (7oz) wholemeal self-raising flour
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 level tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger (optional)
2 tsp mixed spice
grated zest 1 lemon
200g (7oz) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
175g (6oz) sultanas
60ml (2fl oz) pineapple juice
grated zest 1 orange
For the frosting
225g (8oz) Quark (virtually fat-free soft cheese)
55g (2oz) icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
2 Grease a 20cm (8in) cake tin with low-fat spread and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
3 Using an electric whisk, combine the eggs, sugar and olive oil together.
4 Next, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda , baking powder, ground ginger (if using) and the mixed spice into the egg mixture. If there are any bits left in the sieve from the flour, just pour these in. Mix together using a large metal spoon, then add the lemon zest, grated carrots, sultanas and pineapple juice and stir to combine but don’t overmix.
5 Finally, pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
6 To make the frosting, simply mix the Quark, icing sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. When the cake is completely cold, use a spatula to spread the frosting over the cake and decorate with grated orange zest, then cut into squares and serve.
TIP
It is a good idea to make the frosting ahead of time and leave to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.
German Honey Cake
This is a delicious, old-fashioned cake. I love it because it uses olive oil instead of butter. Contrary to what many people believe, olive oil doesn’t lose its goodness when it’s heated. The only time the nutrients in olive oil would be lost are if it is heated repeatedly. This cake has a traditional, slightly spicy flavour. Once you try it, you’ll know what I mean! Don’t use an electric mixer for the main part of this recipe – mixing by hand is much better, but I do recommend that you use an electric whisk for the egg whites.
SERVES 12
low-fat spread, for greasing
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 eggs, separated
85g (3oz) dark muscovado sugar
3 tbsp light olive oil
110g (4oz) runny honey
200g (7oz) wholemeal plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground allspice
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas mark 2–3.
2 Grease a 20cm (8in) round loose-bottomed cake tin with low-fat spread.
3 Start by dissolving the coffee in 125ml (4fl oz) hot water, and setting aside.
4 Now, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and muscovado sugar together thoroughly until the mixture goes a little paler. Add the olive oil and the honey and beat until the mixture is creamy and glossy.
5 Next, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Add these dry ingredients along with the coffee to the egg and honey mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Don’t worry if it is a little lumpy – this will add to the texture. Don’t beat or overmix.
6 Finally, using a free-standing electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then using a large metal spoon or spatula, fold gently into the batter mixture. Again, be careful not to overmix. Only allow yourself 15 turns of the spoon!
7 Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Low-fat Date & Walnut Block
Using the low-fat, heart-healthy spread instead of butter makes this dish healthier than a traditional version from the get-go. Wholemeal flour and dates add great fibre and the walnuts contain a host of vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important for heart and skin health. A slice of this for breakfast with a glass of fresh fruit juice will keep you going until lunch beautifully.
SERVES 9
40g (1½oz) low-fat, heart- healthy spread, plus extra for greasing
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
