Chocolate meringue cookies

These crunchy little blossoms of intense chocolate flavor only taste like an indulgence. They're gluten free, low carb, and low fat, and at only about 12 calories a cookie, you can treat yourself to two or three (or five). I brought them to a pot luck recently, and they were a hit. No one suspected I was giving them health food!

Chocolate Meringue Cookies
sugar free, low carb, gluten free, low fat 

4 egg whites
1 cup Swerve
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
cocoa powder (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 225F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip (Wilton 1M).
Melt 3 ounces chocolate (Microwave @50% power, 2-3 minutes. Stir until melted.) Set chocolate aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, Swerve, and cream of tartar. Set a large pot or deep skillet (large enough to place the mixer bowl inside) with 2 inches of water over high heat on the stove. Bring the water to a simmer, then reduce heat and keep at a simmer. Place the mixer bowl with egg mixer into the water.
Stir egg mixture over water bath until mixture is warm to the touch and Swerve has dissolved (rub the mixture between your finger and thumb, when you no longer feel crystals, it has dissolved). Turn off the stove.
Remove the mixer bowl from the water bath and transfer to mixer with a wire whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy, then increase speed to high. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and continue to beat until combined. With a spatula, gently fold the melted, cooled chocolate into the meringue.



Load the meringue into the prepared pastry bag (set the bag inside a tall glass to hold it while you fill it). Pipe 1 1/2" diameter blossoms onto parchment lined baking sheets. Dust with cocoa powder. Bake at 225F for about 90 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are dry to the touch and you can peel the parchment away from the bottom easily.

Slide the cookies, still attached to the parchment, onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before peeling from parchment. Store in an airtight container.

Classic Cheesecake

Cheesecake is my husband's favorite dessert, which is lucky for me, because it is an easy sweet to make low carb. This is The Joy of Cooking's old-fashioned cheesecake with substitution of Swerve granulated for the sugar in the original recipe, and the addition of an almond flour crust. I made the cheesecake upon his request for hubby's birthday cake. The coulis was a last minute creation, and a bag of mixed berries is what I had in the freezer. The coulis would be equally good with whatever fresh or frozen berries you have on hand.

Classic Cheesecake with Triple Berry Coulis 
low carb, gluten free 

Crust
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup vanilla flavored sugar free whey protein powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
3- 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup Swerve
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Topping
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Swerve
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Triple Berry Coulis
1 cup frozen mixed berries (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry), defrosted
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or other sweetener, to taste)



     Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine crust ingredients in a medium sized bowl, mix until combined. Press evenly into the bottom of a 10 inch springform cake pan. Don't try to build the crust up the sides of the pan, but do cover the seam. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Allow the crust to cool completely before making the filling.
     Have filling ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300F. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually beat in Swerve and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl and beater between additions. Pour the filling into the prepared, cooled crust. Bake at 300F for 30 minutes, then shut off the oven. Allow the cheesecake to rest in the oven with the door cracked open (put the handle of a wooden spoon into the door) for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before making topping.
    Combine sour cream, Swerve, vanilla, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Spread over cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before removing ring of pan and serving.
     Place the defrosted berries and agave nectar (or other sweetener) into a blender. Blend on high until liquified. Strain if desired. Serve cheesecake with a drizzle of coulis.

Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

 

 I was the lucky winner of the Swerve Sweet-stakes on their Facebook page. I shared my New Year's resolution to keep off the pounds I lost in 2011, and lucky me, I get help doing just that with my winnings: a year's supply of Swerve!
Sunday we had some friends over for dinner, so I had my chance to try out Swerve for the first time. I got home from a day of shopping, and had picked up some peanut flour while we were out. I wanted to make a quick, no bake dessert, because we were hungry and I needed to get dinner in the oven. I thought of the fudge recipe that my grandfather used to make for us grandkids when we were little. The original recipe called for a whole pound box of confectioners sugar! My new version is sugar free and low carb, but just as delicious as the fudge of my childhood memories.

Peanut Butter Cup Fudge
Low carb, sugar free 

Peanut butter layer
1 1/2 cups natural chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut flour (PB 2 powdered peanut butter)

3/4 cup Swerve Confectioners Style 

1/2 cup butter, melted

Chocolate layer

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup Swerve Confectioners Style

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Combine peanut butter layer ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread in a 8x8 square baking pan. Put in the refrigerator to chill while you make the chocolate layer. 

Combine chocolate layer ingredients in a medium size microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high about 1-2 minutes, or until butter is melted.  Stir until smooth. 

Remove peanut butter layer from refrigerator. Pour chocolate layer on top and spread over the surface evenly. Return to fridge and chill until set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and enjoy.