Bite-sized Sweets

[Shadow]

Index of Bite-sized Sweets:


Blueberry Pecan Coconut Cacao Nib Bark (from kevinpa)
Chocolate Earl Grey Truffles (from cmcole)
Coconut Candy BonBons -- about 1g ECC per piece (from Relief)
Simple Chocolates -- about 0.7g ECC per piece (from Deirdra)
Sugar-free Almond Balls -- 2g protein, 1g ECC per piece (from www.dianasdesserts.com via Tortoise)
Sugar-free Coconut Balls -- 1g protein, 1g ECC per piece (from www.dianasdesserts.com via Tortoise)
Mascarpone Fudge -- 3g protein, 3g ECC per piece

[Shadow]

SUGAR FREE COCONUT BALLS -- 1g protein, 1g ECC per piece

Recipe By : www.dianasdesserts.com via Laura\Tortoise from PPBBS
Serving Size : 28 Preparation Time : 1 hour
Categories : sweets, vegetarian

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces light cream cheese -- softened
2 teaspoons Sweet 'n Low® sweetener -- (liquid, or other liquid artificial sweetener)
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract -- (0 carb--can subst. almond extract)
1 cup unsweetened coconut meat -- flaked or shredded
1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate -- grated

Beat cream cheese, sugar substitute and coconut extract in medium bowl
with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in coconut.

Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 20 minutes.

Place grated chocolate in shallow bowl. For each candy, shape scant 1
tablespoonful of the mixture into 1-inch ball. Roll balls in chocolate.
Store in refrigerator.

other rolling materials: unsweetened cocoa powder, toasted sesame seeds
or toasted chopped almonds. All rolling materials keep the ECC per piece
approximately the same.

Sugar-Free Almond Balls Variation: Substitute chopped toasted almonds for
the coconut and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract for the coconut extract. Roll
in grated chocolate. Nutrient counts change to 62 calories per piece, 5g
fat, 2g protein, 1g ECC (2g carbs - 1g fiber)

Laura/Tortoise's comments: These came from www.dianasdesserts.com. These
creamy candies contain no sugar, yet are full of flavor and easy to make.


Gaelen's notes: I made these with mascarpone cheese instead of cream
cheese, and no artificial sweetener. Counts changed to 69 calories, 7g
fat, 1g protein, 1g ECC (2g carbs minus 1g fiber).

Yield: "28 pieces"

Per Serving : 51 Calories; 5g Fat (75.4% calories from fat); 1g Protein;
2g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 48mg Sodium.

[Shadow]

MASCARPONE FUDGE -- 3g protein, 3g ECC per piece

Recipe By : Gaelen
Serving Size : 1 piece about 1" square Preparation Time : 20 min. plus chilling time
Categories : sweets, vegetarian

Amount Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- --------------------------------
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
100 grams Lindt 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate -- (an entire 3.5 oz. bar)
1/2 cup peanut butter – natural, unsalted
1 packet SteviaPlus(r) (about 1/2 tsp.)

Melt the Lindt bar and the baking chocolate together.

Mix the mascarpone cheese, peanut butter and SteviaPlus(r) into the hot melted chocolate.

Spread into a buttered 8 x 3 loaf pan, and chill in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 8 hours.)

Cut into squares--will make an 18 to 24 piece batch.

NOTE: Omitting the SteviaPlus will make the fudge a bit more bittersweet;
other sweeteners can be substituted. 1 packet of SteviaPlus = the sweetness of 2 teaspoons of sugar.
You can also mix in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or macadamias,
without increasing the effective carb count per piece.

Inspired by a recipe from Wegman's Supermarkets Old World Cheese Shop

Yield: at least 18 pieces
Per Serving (for batch cut into 18 pieces): 118 Calories; 10g Fat (75.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein;
4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 33mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 5 1/2 Fat.

[Relief]

COCONUT CANDY BON BONS

I've been experimenting with the new chocolate from lo carb specialties http://www.lowcarbspecialties.com/choco_bars.html and with the sweetener Inulin (get it at netrition.com) and these are so good you won't believe they are not the "real" thing!

I used a mini muffin pan with some muffin cups from Hobby Lobby that are made for candy--dark brown paper like the papers in a fine candy box--
recipe makes about 12 with coconut filling left over. The entire recipe has less than 16 ECC so each peice would be just slightly over 1 ECC negligible protien, quite a lot of fiber, and about 50 calories each.

for the chocolate:
about 6 ounces of sugar free dark chocolate

for the coconut fillling:
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut-- I used the fine ground
1/4 cup inulin
1/4 cup xylitol
1 egg white
6 drops Sweetzfee sweetener or equivalent ( 6 packets splenda)
2 tablespoons cream
1/2 tsp coconut extract flavoring

mix all the dry ingredients together well and then add the egg white and cream and mix together well and cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. ( really like the way the inulin and xylitol combine here--the filling is really creamy due to the fiber in the inulin and the taste is so "real" not artificial at all. I'm sure those of you who do not have, or do not wish to use these sweeteners could make something very akin with just coconut, splenda, cream and an egg white.--or your favorite sweetener)

chop the chocolate up fine and melt until just barely melted, I like to use a microwave for this. for this amount of cocolate start with about 50 seconds then stir the chocolate up well. use burst of 10 seconds at a time-- stirring after each burst-- if you need to until the chocolate is all liquid. you do not want to get the chocolate too hot--it is a disaster-- especially with sugar free chocolate--it will go grainy and clumpy if you overheat it. continue to sitr the chocolate for a minute or two as it cools bown and gets slightly thick. pour a small amount of chocolate into each muffin cup and using a amall paintbruch ( of the back of a spoon if necesary ) bruch chocolate up only the sides of the muffin cups. make a small ball of coconut and put it into each cup and then drizzle in enough chocolate to fill the cup and cover the coconut. I ususlaly do about 3 at a time; if the chocolate gets too thick you can always micro it for 4-10 seconds to soften it up again. you can put them in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up if your in a hurry! but overnight at room temp works too.

Made with dark chocolate the taste is a dead ringer for a mounds bar. use milk chocolate and an almond and you've got something like an almond joy. In fact, they taste like high class "gourmet" versions. this chocolate is so amazingly good!

this sounds really finicky but I made them up in less than a half an hour last night.

[SherryJ]

Oooooohhhh, Deborah!!!! Mounds are my FAVORITE... these sound heavenly!

Do you have the COUNTS for them, though?

Oh, goodness! I may HAVE to get these ingredients, LOL! (Where are you in the process of the COOKBOOK anyway!??!!?)

Thanks, friend!
Sherry

[Relief]

sherry--I edited in the counts; thanks for reminding me and about the cookbook--I keep getting more ideas and developing more recipes. I know now who is going to print it for me, just need to get it organized.

[SherryJ]

Oh, Honey! Aaaannnnyyything to help, LOL!!! :p

I'm SO excited for you, Deborah, and will be first in line at the signing! :D

Sherry

[Billie]

Debroah I remember awhile back you were asking for "guinea pigs" to do some tasting and testing of the recipes, is this the final project of those efforts?

[cmcole]

http://www.celestialseasonings.com/justforfun/recipes/eg_choctruffles.php

Chocolate Earl Grey Truffles

Willem DeFroy, Chef at Celestial Seasonings Cafe, is from Belgium so, of course, chocolate is the main ingredient in his favorite recipe.

2/3 Cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. soft unsalted butter
2 tsp. Victorian Earl Grey dry tea leaves
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Bring cream and butter to a quick boil, add dry tea and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, finely shred chocolate and transfer to a bowl. Reheat cream mix until just warm and strain through fine sieve. Whisk until smooth over a warm water bath (place bowl with chocolate over a pan with hot water) and reserve covered for at least 2 hours in a cool place. Spoon level teaspoons full of chocolate mixture on a cold cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll each piece into a ball and dust with cocoa powder. Keep hands clean and dry as you roll the chocolate mix in cocoa. Keep in an airtight container in a cool place.
From the "Cafe Recipe" Collection.

[deirdra]

Simple chocolates:

Melt in a pyrex measuring cup:
- 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- add coconut oil to fill it to 3/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp powdered stevia

Stir and pour into a large flat pan or 12 silicone muffin-trays (chocolates are really easy to release from silicone). Cool in the fridge, break up or release and store in covered container or zipper bag.

12 servings @ 0.67g ECC, 113 calories, 13.1g fat, 0.24g protein

You can always get creative by adding nuts or nutbutter etc.

[cmcole]

I'm thinking you could just replace the sugar/syrup with either liquid Sugar Twin, Davinci, or granular Splenda or Stevia, but someone may have a better idea.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,23009-2307262,00.html


The Sunday TimesAugust 20, 2006
Cooking

Life is sweet

Let the kids get their hands dirty in the kitchen rustling up chocolate truffles, says Heston Blumenthal

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/images/trans.gifThese truffles are easy to make, and perfect with a shot of coffee after a good meal. Kids love getting involved in making sweets, so let them have a go. They may even want to make them as presents, which would be a bonus. Be sure to use the best chocolate you can afford — it makes all the difference.


CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Makes 20
240g best-quality dark chocolate, Valrhona 55% or 64% cocoa solids
150g whipping cream
2 tsp liquid glucose (available from most chemists) or golden syrup
34g unsalted butter at room temperature


Roughly chop the chocolate and put to one side in a large bowl. Place the glucose and cream into a pan, then heat gently. As soon as it simmers, pour over the chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate has melted. Beat the butter into the chocolate and cream, trying not to get any air into the mixture. Pour through a fine sieve into a clean, dry container and refrigerate until set (give it at least 2 hours).
Once set, use a small ice-cream scoop (roughly 2cm diameter) to create cherry tomato-sized truffles. Alternatively, use a teaspoon. Dust with cocoa before serving.

[kevinpa]

1/2 cup blueberry coulis (see below)

1/3 cup granular erythritol
2 T. not/Sugar
1 T. DiabetiSweet brown
1 splenda quick pack

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 T. butter
1 cup pecans (mixed chopped)
1/4 cup raw organic cacao nibs
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

In a non stick sauce pan, mix and bring to a near boil blueberry coulis and sweetener mix.
Lower heat to simmer and stir in butter chocolate until melted completely.
Bring to a near boil again then remove from heat and stir in pecans, coconut and nibs.
When well combined, turn out into a non-stick foil lined 9 x 9 pyrex dish.
Freeze 15 to 30 minutes to set and then cut into 3 x 3 squares.

Yeild 9 squares @ 1.25g. protein 4g. ecc per square.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m273/kevinpa1/bpccnb37.jpg

Sugarfree Blueberry Coulis

3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup water

1/3 cup granular erythritol
2 T. not/Sugar
1 splenda quick pack (ie 1 cup sweetener equivilent)

Combine blueberries, water, and sweeteer mix in a nonstick pan.
Simmer to thicken and reduce by 1/2.

Yeild: 2 cups blueberry coulis (approx. 1.5g. ecc per T.)

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m273/kevinpa1/bbc36.jpg