Desserts
Desserts
arthriticassociation.org.uk
Baked Pears with Cinnamon
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 ripe pears
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp light muscavdo sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
55g (2oz) low-fat spread
Finely shredded lemon rind - to decorate
Low-fat custard to serve
Instructions
Peel and core the pears, then slice them in half lengthways and brush them all over with the lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring. Place the pears, cored side down, in a non-stick roasing tin.
Place the sugar, cinnamon and low-fat spread in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Keep the heat very low to stop too much water evaporating from the low-fat spread as it gets hot. Spoon mixture over pears.
Bake the pears in a pre-heated oven at 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6 for 20-25 minutes or until they are tender and golden, occasionally spooning the sugar mixture over the fruit during the cooking time.
To serve, heat the low-fat custard in a small saucepan over a low heat until it is piping hot and spoon a little over the surface of each of 4 warmed dessert plates. Then arrange 2 pear halves on each plate.
Decorate the pears with a little finely shredded lemon rind and serve immediately.
Creamy Fruit Delight
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
225g (8oz) cherries
2 large peaches
2 large nectarines
700ml (1¼ pints) natural thick yoghurt
55g (2oz) walnut halves
2 tbsp flower-scented honey
Fresh cranberries to decorate
Instructions
To prepare the fruit, use a cherry or olive stoner to remove the cherry stones. Cut each cherry in half. Cut the peaches and nectarines in half lengthways and remove the stones, then finely chop the flesh of all the fruit.
Place the finely fruit in a bowl and gently stir together.
Spoon one-third of the yoghurt into an attractive glass serving dish. Top with half the fruit mixture.
Repeat with another layer of yoghurt and fruit and finally top with the remaining yoghurt.
Place the walnuts in a small food processor and pulse until chopped but not finely ground. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top layer of yoghurt.
Drizzle the honey over the nuts and yoghurt. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Decorate the bowl with a handful of cranberries just before serving.
Tip: Vary the fruit to whatever is best in market. Berries, figs, seedless grapes and melons are also delicious in the dessert
Pear & date flan
This is a great way of using up some of those pears which simply will not ripen! Serves four.
Ingredients
2 large pears, peeled and quartered
4 soft dates, stones removed
100ml/3½fl oz elderflower drink
2 eggs
2 tbsp maize flour or polenta
1 tbsp rice flour
½ tsp vanilla essence
6–8 walnut halves (optional)
Instructions
Slice the pears thinly and put in a pan. Slice then chop the dates into small pieces. Put both in a pan with the elderflower drink. Cover the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the pears are soft – how long this takes will depend on how ripe they are.
Strain the juices out and reserve them.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Beat the two eggs. Add the flours and the vanilla essence and beat again until well amalgamated and smooth. Beat in the juices from the pears. Pour this mixture into the bottom of a flan or pie dish.
Arrange the pears and dates over the top and dot with the walnut halves. Cover the dish and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes to crisp the nuts.
Serve warm, alone or with whatever yoghurt or fromage frais you can eat.
Pineapple Dream
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 Dates, stoned and chopped
1 Large banana, sliced
114 g or 4 oz or ½ small can pineapple in natural juice, chopped
Crème fraîche
Instructions
Mix together the fruits and juice and spoon into glass serving dishes. Top with crème fraîche and serve.
Tangy Apple Swirl
Serves 4
Ingredients
450g (1lb) cooking apples
25g (1oz) margarine
50g (2oz) raw brown sugar
Pinch of ground cloves
Grated rind of ½ lemon
284ml (½ pint) natural yoghurt
Instructions
Peel, core and chop the apples.
Place all the ingredients, except yoghurt, in a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally until the apples are 'pulpy'.
Stir thoroughly to give a 'rough' puree and leave to cool.
In a glass serving dish, or individual dishes, spoon alternate spoonfuls of yoghurt and apple until it is all used up.
With a knife, swirl the mixtures to give a decorative effect. Serve chilled.
Yoghurt & Melon Cup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
½ melon
300ml (½pint) natural yoghurt
2tbsp clear honey
2tbsp wheatgerm
25g (1oz) toasted almonds
Instructions
Scoop out the flesh of the melon, discard seeds and cut flesh into cubes.
Mix the yoghurt, honey and wheatgerm together and gently fold in cubes of melon.
Spoon into serving glasses and decorate with almonds.
Yoghurt Delight
Serves 1–2
Ingredients
6–8 oz vanilla low fat live or bio yoghurt
¼ teacup fresh fruit pieces
¼ teacup muesli
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.
Spiced pears with yoghurt topping
Serves 4
4 large firm pears
300 ml/½ pint apple juice or sweet white wine
2 whole cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp ground cloves
natural yoghurt – to pour over
Peel the pears and leave the stalks on them. Place them in an ovenproof dish.
Pour the apple juice or wine, cinnamon sticks and cloves into a pan, bring to the boil and pour over the pears.
Cover and bake at 180°C/350°F, gas mark 4 for approximately 45 minutes or until tender.
Serve hot or cold with the yoghurt topping.
Copyright © 2004–2009 The Arthritic Association
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