Daily Dose: Figure Friendly Lime Curd Tart

Trying to be healthy, but your sweet tooth always gets you off course?  Well, here's a recipe to satisfy your craving for sweets, without the guilt that comes from breaking a diet.  Like the cheesecakes I made earlier, this tart swaps out Splenda for sugar and has a low-carb almond crust.  The curd turned out fantastic, it tastes just like the real deal!  Note:  This recipe could also be adapted into an ice box pie recipe.  Just hold some whipped cream into the curd, then freeze the entire pie.  yum.  Enjoy!

Figure Friendly Lime Curd Tart

Crust Ingredients: 
1 1/2 c. almond flour
2 tablespoons Splenda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine the almond flour, Splenda, cinnamon and ginger in a pie or tart pan.  Add the melted butter and combine until butter is completely incorporated. 

Press the mixture down into the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes. 

Curd Ingredients:
1/2 fresh squeezed lime juice, strained
4 eggs
1 cup Splenda
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pats

Directions:

Whisk the eggs, then add the Splenda and mix until combined.  Add the lime and mix.

Cook the mixture on a double broiler (I just place a glass bowl over a pot with simmering water.  Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl.)  Cook until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes, whisking continuously (no one likes lumpy curd! haha).  The consistency of finished curd will be like that of pudding, but not as firm.

Remove from heat and mix in the butter until well incorporated and smooth. 

To assemble, pour the lime curd into the crust.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Daily Dose: Figure Friendly Cheesecake

My boyfriend and I made a birthday dinner for his father last night.  Since both his parents are watching their sugar intake (doctor's orders) I couldn't use one of my usual sugar-packed recipes.  This cheesecake recipe saved the day!  The first change that makes the dessert "healthy" is substituting Splenda for sugar.  Baking with Splenda is tricky; since it's sweeter than sugar you don't use as much which often means adjusting the other ingredients.  Baked goods with Splenda also tend to cook faster, so baking times need to be shortened.  The second change was to make the crust with almond flour instead of graham crackers.  Instead of a carb-loaded crust, you have a protein-loaded crust.  Healthy indeed!  Enjoy!

Figure Friendly Cheesecake

Almond Crust
(Modified from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour (if you can't find almond flour, just grind up whole almonds in your blender)
2 heaping tablespoons Splenda baking blend
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Directions:

Combine almond flour, Splenda, butter, and cinnamon until well blended.  Divide evenly among cupcake tins, pressing firmly.  You're aiming for a 1/4 inch crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

Filling
(modified from AllRecipes) 

Ingredients:
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.

Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. 

Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crusts. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes.  To test if they are done, shake the pan gently.  The top will jiggle, but it won't be soupy. 


Figure Friendly Cheesecake

Almond Crust
(Modified from AllRecipes)  

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour (if you can't find almond flour, just grind up whole almonds in your blender)
2 heaping tablespoons Splenda baking blend
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Directions:
1. Combine almond flour, Splenda, butter, and cinnamon until well blended.
2. Divide evenly among cupcake tins, pressing firmly.  You're aiming for a 1/4 inch crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

Filling
(modified from AllRecipes)

Ingredients:
2 packages cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
2. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. 
3. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crusts. 
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes.  To test if they are done, shake the pan gently.  The top will jiggle, but it won't be soupy. 

Daily Dose: Port-Glazed Grape Tart

I made this tart for a grape-themed dinner party.  Everyone brought a dish which incorporated grapes in some way (of course, I volunteered to make dessert). This dish was perfect, as grapes make an appearance in three different ways:  wine, jam, and fresh grapes.  I served the dish with blue cheese and the tanginess of the cheese went really well with the sweet tart.  Though I'll definitely be making this again, the next time I'll make a few changes.  First, the grapes rolled off the tart when cutting slices, so next time I'll halve the grapes and place them cut side down on the tart shell.  Second, I'll use a farmer's market jam, rather than a store brand, to cut the sweetness of the reduction.    Enjoy!
 
Port-Glazed Grape Tart
(Recipe from Epicurious)

Crust Ingredients: 
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:

1 cups Ruby Port

3/4 cups Concord grape jelly

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

6 cups small red seedless grapes, stems discarded

Directions:

Tart shell (makes enough for an 11x8 tart pan):

After toasting the walnuts, pulse them with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste). 

Add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps.

Press mixture evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake tart shells in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shells in pans to racks to cool completely.

Grape Filling:

Simmer Port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. 

Immediately toss grapes with 1/2 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shells.

Just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.

Port-Glazed Grape Tart
(Recipe from Epicurious)

Crust Ingredients: 
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:

1 cups Ruby Port

3/4 cups Concord grape jelly

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

6 cups small red seedless grapes, stems discarded

Directions:

Tart shell (makes enough for an 11x8 tart pan):
1. After toasting the walnuts, pulse them with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste). 

2. Add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps.
3. Press mixture evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake tart shells in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shells in pans to racks to cool completely.

Grape Filling:

1. Simmer Port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. 

2. Immediately toss grapes with 1/2 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shells.

3. Just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.

Daily Dose: Walnut Tartlets

I'm always looking for new recipes to try, and many often come from friends.  My pal Susan really delivered with this recipe.  It's a very simple recipe, if a little time consuming, but the end result is well worth the work.   These smelled amazing while they were baking and I ate three within minutes of them coming out of the oven!  Enjoy!

Walnut Tarts
(Makes 48 tartlets!)

Ingredients for crust:
2 sticks butter
6 oz. cream cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for filling:
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups diced walnuts
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 Tbs margarine, melted slightly
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla




Directions:

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Add the flour and mix until just combined.  The dough will be crumbly, like pie dough.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Mix ingredients for filling, starting with the butter, eggs, and sugar. Set aside while you work on the crusts.

 

Divide your dough into about 1 inch balls and roll the balls into thin discs.  This is the part that is time consuming!!

Spray tart tray with cooking spray. Place a disc in each compartment, carefully working the dough so that it doesn't tear.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill each crust about half full with filling mix.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from tray (use a fork to loosen edges and then pop out the tart).

Walnut Tarts

Ingredients for crust:
2 sticks margarine
6 oz. cream cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for filling:
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups diced walnuts
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 Tbs margarine, melted slightly
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Add the flour and mix until just combined.  The dough will be crumbly, like pie dough.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Mix ingredients for filling, starting with the butter, eggs, and sugar. Set aside while you work on the crusts.
3. Divide your dough into about 1 inch balls and roll the balls into thin discs.
4. Spray tart tray with cooking spray. Place a disc in each compartment.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill each crust about half full with filling mix.
6. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from tray (use a fork to loosen edges and then pop out the tart).