Dark chocolate can actually be good for your blood sugar and diabetes. Enjoy these healthy diabetic desserts recipes in moderation.
Gooey Double-Chocolate Brownies
This quick and easy dessert becomes even more special when you serve it with a small scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt, berries, and chocolate sauce.
Makes 24 brownies.
Prep Time: 25 minutes.
Cook Time: 30 minutes.
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 1⁄3 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
1. Grease 8-by-8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter and 3/4 cup chocolate in bowl set over gently simmering water or in the microwave; remove from heat and let cool.
2. Whisk eggs in bowl with electric beaters. Gradually add sugar; beat continuously until mixture is thick and foamy and leaves ribbonlike trail when beaters are lifted. Add vanilla extract and chocolate mixture, and blend thoroughly. Sift flour and cocoa powder over mixture and scatter in walnuts, if using, and remaining chocolate. Fold mixture together with large spoon.
3. Pour batter into pan and bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. If top starts to look like it might burn before brownies are cooked through, place a piece of foil over pan. Cool brownies briefly in pan; cut into 24 squares. Cool brownies completely on wire rack. Store in airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Per brownie (with walnuts): 152 cal, 10 g fat (5 g sat), 16 g carbs, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 25 mg chol, 40 mg sodium, 8 mg calcium.
Chocolate Mousse Tart
This rich, creamy treat is much lower in fat than a traditional chocolate tart, so you can enjoy a bit of guilt-free decadence.
Serves 8.
Prep Time: 20 minutes.
Cook Time: 10 minutes + chilling
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat chocolate graham cracker crumbs (from about 9 large crackers)
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1⁄3 cup 1% milk, warmed
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 container (12 oz.) fat-free frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
• 1 bar (3 oz.) semisweet chocolate, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 10-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Mix cracker crumbs, egg white, and honey with a fork in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Pat crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of tart pan. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Put 3 tbs. water in small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin completely dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Mix sugar and cocoa in large bowl. Stir in milk and vanilla until cocoa dissolves. Blend in gelatin.
4. Whip cream in medium bowl until stiff. Fold whipped cream and half of whipped topping into cooled cocoa mixture until blended. Pour into crust. Swirl in the remaining whipped topping in center. Refrigerate until filling sets, at least 2 hours or overnight. Dust with cocoa powder. Decorate with chocolate curls, if desired, before serving. Per serving: 272 cal, 7 g fat (4 g sat), 46 g carbs, 4 g protein, 2 g fiber, 21 mg chol, 70 mg sodium, 44 mg calcium.
Chock-full Chocolate Chip Cookies
The darker the chocolate, the healthier it is, so these cookies boast both pure cocoa powder and 60% cocoa chips.
Makes 5 dozen.
Prep Time: 15 minutes.
Cook Time: 50 minutes.
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup whole rolled oats, ground
• 1⁄3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup nonhydrogenated stick margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% or higher cocoa content)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
2. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat margarine with granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour mixture until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins, and walnuts. Drop by teaspoons onto baking sheet.
3. Bake until browned, 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to rack and let cool completely. <i>Per cookie: 106 cal, 5 g fat (2 g sat), 14 g carbs, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 7 mg chol, 83 mg sodium, 12 mg calcium.
Rich Chocolate Tart
A generous amount of good-quality semisweet chocolate makes this European-style cake moist and rich—just a small slice will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Serves 10.
Prep Time: 20 minutes.
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes
For cake:
• 6 oz. good-quality semisweet chocolate (look for at least 70% cocoa solids)
• 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
For garnish:
• Cape gooseberries, papery skins folded back (optional), or fresh berries
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 9-inch springform cake pan and line with greased wax paper.
2. Chop chocolate and place in heatproof bowl with butter. Set bowl over pan of simmering water, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Melt chocolate and butter, then remove bowl from heat and stir mixture until smooth.
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until mixture increases considerably in volume and leaves trail on surface when beaters are lifted. (If using a whisk, set bowl over pan of simmering water, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl.)
4. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture with large metal spoon. Gradually sift flour over top, then fold in until just combined.
5. Pour batter into cake pan, gently smoothing surface. Bake until top of cake feels just firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack in pan.
6. Remove cake from pan and peel away paper. Cut into thin wedges for serving, garnishing each with cape gooseberry, if desired, and dusting with sifted confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Cake will keep in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Per serving: 234 cal, 14 g fat (8 g sat), 23 g carbs, 4 g protein, 0 g fiber, 88 mg chol, 32 mg sodium, 28 mg calcium.
