1. Pick Low-Fat Dairy
Dairy can be a major staple in almost all desserts that we eat, and can often be found in rich ice creams, silky icings or creamy toppings. It is important to cut the fat from your post-dinner meal, by cutting the fat out of your dairy choices. Start by choosing low-fat ice creams instead of the whole milk variety. Sorbet, natural sherbets, and dairy-free ice creams are all great options. Instead of using buttermilk, half and half, or cream in your cooking mixes, try using skim, soy or almond milks to achieve the same flavor and consistency. If full-fat whip cream is a favorite topping for your desserts, try switching to a fat-free version, or adding a dollop of low-fat Cool Whip instead.
2. Use Natural Sweeteners
Although typical desserts may contain fatty oils and sugary ingredients, there is one source of sweet that is completely natural--fruit. Try turning to fruit to jazz up your low-fat desserts, and you will reap the nutritional benefits that vitamin-packed fruit provides. Try freezing sliced pineapple, apples, or oranges, and dipping in fat-free yogurt for a creamy treat. Or melt 1 to 2 ounces of natural, dark chocolate over sliced banana or dried apricots, and place in the freezer until the chocolate hardens. Another way to use fruit to lighten a fatty dessert, is by adding natural apple or orange juices to baked goods (such as cupcakes, muffins or cookies) to sweeten the recipe.
3. Get Creative with Mixes
Cake and brownie mixes typically call for a variety of fatty ingredients, such as cooking oils, whole eggs and butter. Although it may seem difficult to integrate packaged mixes into your low-fat desserts, it can be easier than you think. Start by trading fatty oils for natural varieties like olive or sunflower, and skipping full-fat butter in favor of fat-free versions. Try using egg whites or egg substitutes in place of whole eggs to create a lighter and fluffier batter. Another trick of low-fat dessert cooking is substituting the oil or butter called for in the recipe, with an equal amount of pureed pumpkin from a can, or natural apple sauce.
4. Choose the Right Oils
The majority of desserts we cook begin by using a cooking oil or spray to prevent foods from sticking to the pan. Instead of greasing the pan with a stick of butter or vegetable oil, try using natural products such as olive oil, or a non-stick fat-free spray. Instead of using marshmallows or cream to create sticky desserts (like crispy cereal bars), try using brown rice syrup, which helps create the same chewy consistency.
5. Top It All Off
Pies and cakes are some of the most beloved desserts around, but they are also very high in unhealthy fat. Try creating these desserts by using fat-free evaporated milk instead of the normal variety and by using fat-free or reduced fat cream cheeses in pies. If you want to create a velvety icing from scratch, melt equal amounts of fat-free cream cheese with reduced-fat butter substitute in the microwave. Next, stir in an equal serving size of powdered sugar, and finish by adding 4 tablespoons of vanilla soy milk and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract for flavor. A rich, decadent dessert can be mastered in mere moments, just by cutting the fat and substituting ingredients.
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