3 Healthy Christmas Desserts

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Makes: 10 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (including 15 minutes cooling time)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, divided
• 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries (about 3 cups)
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tip)
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk, at room temperature
• Whipped cream for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons orange juice in a large (12-inch) cast-iron or regular skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let cool. Coat the sides of the skillet with cooking spray.
3. Bring the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice and cranberries to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring often, until about half the cranberries have popped. Pour evenly over the cooled brown sugar mixture in the skillet.
4. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
5. Separate egg whites and yolks. Place the yolks in a large bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, oil, granulated sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with milk, using a rubber spatula, starting and ending with the flour. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Beat the egg whites in a clean dry mixing bowl with clean dry beaters on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until almost no white streaks remain. Spread the batter over the cranberries.
6. Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool for at least 30 minutes more before serving. Serve warm or room temperature. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

Boot Tracks

Makes: 3 dozen cookies
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional)
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preparation

1. Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron. (To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron.) Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations). Variations: Instead of confectioners’ sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted bittersweet and/or white chocolate. Or make a peppermint drizzle: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 teaspoons water and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; add natural green food coloring, if desired.

Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Shortbread Crust

Makes: 10 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 3/4 hours

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil, or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon ice water

Filling

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua (optional)
• 4 dried egg whites (see Ingredient Note), reconstituted according to package directions (equivalent to 2 egg whites)
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. To prepare crust: Coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Combine whole-wheat pastry flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, hazelnuts, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add oil and ice water and pulse just until incorporated. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan (it will be crumbly), spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust.
3. Bake the crust until set and the edges are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
4. To prepare filling: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you prepare the rest of the filling.
5. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming (but not boiling); remove from the heat to cool slightly.
6. Whisk egg yolks, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot milk. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pan with the remaining hot milk. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not boil), about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate until completely melted. Whisk in the softened gelatin and coffee liqueur (if using) until smooth.
7. Beat reconstituted egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold the chocolate custard into the egg whites until blended. Spoon the filling into the crust; smooth the top with the back of a spoon and chill, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour.