GOOD COOKING : Low-Fat Fruit Desserts That Fool the Taste Buds

Low-fat desserts used to be far less satisfying than the real thing. Not any more. These days many low-fat desserts have as much pizazz as a hot fudge sundae.

That is one reason low-fat desserts are becoming so popular. Our increasingly sophisticated palates are another reason.

Great fruit really requires no embellishment; chilled berries, or sliced peaches tossed in a small amount of lemon juice are a fitting finale to any summer meal when served in a beautiful bowl. A simple dollop of yogurt with light brown sugar makes an inviting garnish.

But things need not be that simple. The following low-fat fruit recipes bridge the gap between total simplicity and elaborate preparation. Their low-fat status derives from the omission of any cream, egg yolks or butter.

When serving these desserts, be sure to use the best-quality fruit you can find. And if you use a combination of fruits and berries, the dessert will be attractive to the eye and even more appealing to the palate.

Since I was a child, angel cake has always been my preference. Here, a lemony version takes the place of the traditional fat-laden lemon chiffon cake, making it a perfect foil for summer’s fresh berries or raspberry sauce. Although it’s delicious unfrosted, the Lemon Yogurt Glaze gives it a festive finish.

FRESH LEMON ANGEL CAKE

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cake flour

2 cups egg whites

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 2 lemons

Lemon Yogurt Glaze, optional

Sift 3/4 cup sugar 3 times. Set aside. Sift remaining 3/4 cup sugar with flour 3 times. Set aside.

Place egg whites in 4-quart grease-free bowl. Beat on low speed with mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Increase speed to medium and slowly add lemon juice. Beat until whites are thick and hold definite shape, but still soft and moist, about 3 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup sifted sugar, 1 tablespoon at time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to high. Continue beating until whites have increased in volume about fivefold, hold shape, are very thick, shiny and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes more.

Gently but thoroughly fold in flour mixture, 1/3 at time. Transfer to 10-inch ungreased tube pan. Smooth surface with spatula. Cut through batter in 10 places to break any large air pockets.

Bake in center of oven at 375 degrees about 35 minutes, until surface is very brown and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place sheet of foil lightly over top during last 5 minutes, if cake is too brown. Invert on empty bottle to cool.

When completely cool, use flexible knife to loosen cake from sides and then bottom of pan. Invert onto rack. Cake can be kept at room temperature as long as 2 days, well covered, or may be frozen as long as 3 months, wrapped airtight. Be sure to thaw at room temperature in wrapping.

Frost with Lemon Yogurt Glaze few hours before serving. Makes 1 (10-inch) tube cake, 12 servings.

Lemon Yogurt Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Combine powdered sugar, yogurt, lemon juice and zest in small bowl until smooth. Makes 1/2 cup.

Smooth and satiny, this processor-made peach and raspberry freeze is 100% fruit, and much more satisfying than any sherbet. The raspberry fruit spread, a great preserve that is a relatively new product on the supermarket shelves, used here and in the fool, is intensely tasty and sugarless, making the freeze especially flavorful. The powdered non-fat dry milk gives it a smooth consistency without any richness. This is one recipe in which the sugar can be eliminated or replaced by an artificial sweetener.

FRESH MELBA FREEZE

4 large peaches

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, depending on sweetness of peaches

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons raspberry fruit spread

1/4 cup powdered nonfat dry milk

Submerge peaches in boiling water 20 seconds. Remove and peel skin with fingers or small paring knife. Halve, pit and cut flesh into 3/4-inch cubes. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet lined with wax paper and freeze until solid.

Once frozen, fruit can be used immediately or frozen for several months, wrapped airtight.

Place 1/2 frozen peaches and sugar in food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse machine several times to chop fruit, then process continually until peaches are minced, then pureed. Set aside.

Repeat with remaining peaches and sugar. Return reserved puree to workbowl. Add raspberries, raspberry fruit spread and dry milk. Process until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve immediately as soft frozen dessert or freeze firm. Makes about 1 quart.

Note: If frozen, remove from freezer 15 to 30 minutes before serving so texture is more appealing and mixture softens enough to scoop. If ice crystals form during long-term freezing, let soften just to point where mixture can be spooned back into workbowl and reprocessed until smooth again.

This fool features a tart puree of plums with raspberries swirled into a puff of whipped egg whites in place of the traditional rich whipped cream. Low-fat dessert fans take note: Play it safe by “cooking” the egg whites with a hot syrup, making an Italian meringue and thus eliminating the possibility that salmonella bacteria, sometimes present in raw egg whites, will harm you. It may sound complicated, but it is actually very easy to make. You can substitute other fruits for the plums and raspberries; just be sure the cooked fruit puree measures 2/3 cup and is very tart.

RED PLUM AND RASPBERRY ‘FOOL’

4 medium tart red plums, halved and pitted

1/2 pint plus 24 raspberries

Sugar

1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup raspberry fruit spread

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

Puree plums, 1/2 pint raspberries and 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, depending on tartness of plums, in food processor or blender. Mixture should be very tart. Press through fine sieve into non-aluminum saucepan to remove seeds.

Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine gelatin and 1 tablespoon water. Add to raspberry fruit spread, then stir mixture into fruit puree. Refrigerate until chilled.

Boil remaining 3 tablespoons water with 1/2 cup sugar in very small saucepan over high heat to soft-ball stage or 240 degrees on candy thermometer (may be necessary to carefully tip saucepan to measure syrup with thermometer), about 4 minutes. As temperature approaches 200 degrees, beat egg whites with mixer until stiff, but still shiny and moist.

With mixer running, slowly pour syrup in thin, steady stream into egg whites, which will take about 1 minute. Continue to beat meringue until very thick and cool (feel exterior of bowl), about 3 more minutes. Stir in vanilla.

To finish, gently fold in fruit puree, leaving slightly swirled. Spoon 1/2 mixture into 4 long-stemmed goblets, dividing evenly. Dot each with 3 raspberries. Spoon in remaining mixture. Garnish each with 3 raspberries. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight. Makes 4 servings.