Sweet & low: Dreamy desserts made with fruit pump up the flavor, not the fat Dreamy desserts made with fruit pump up the flavor, not the fat

Nectarine and Berry pie in San Francisco, Calif., on July 10, 2008. Food styled by Audrey Sherman. Photo by Craig Lee / The Chronicle Nectarine and Berry pie in San Francisco, Calif., on July 10, 2008. Food styled by Audrey Sherman. Photo by Craig Lee / The Chronicle Photo: Photo By Craig Lee, The Chronicle Photo: Photo By Craig Lee, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close Sweet & low: Dreamy desserts made with fruit pump up the flavor, not the fat 1 / 7 Back to Gallery

"I have never met a low-fat dessert I liked," exclaimed my size-2 friend while scarfing down a hot fudge sundae buried under a mound of whipped cream. "Why in the world would you want to write an article on that?"

"Not everyone is as lucky as you," I replied, "and I can make them so good that you would never know the difference."

She looked at me with utter disbelief.

When I was young, the thought of reducing fat in desserts never entered my mind. I was born with an insatiable sweet tooth and lived by the adage that a meal is not a meal without dessert - and fruit is not dessert. I used to tell my cooking classes, "When it comes to dessert, eat half as much; don't make them half as good."

But with aging and all of the known medical risks, all that has changed. My husband and most of our friends are faced with the same weight and cholesterol issues, so everyone appreciates it when I serve a delicious low-fat dessert. The one thing that hasn't changed, however, is my desire for wonderful desserts that are satisfying and delicious.

My goals are simple:

-- To develop the best desserts using only the finest ingredients, never anything fake or artificial;

-- To reduce the fat and cholesterol without sacrificing flavor. Whenever possible I attempt to reduce the sugar, but that is not my paramount goal. Sugar adds moisture to a recipe and butter adds tenderness and there is no standard formula for reducing them. Cutting back sugar and fat in a crisp topping is very different from reducing them in a pie crust.

Choose ripe fruit

It's easy to create delicious low-fat desserts when you begin with the bountiful array of fresh fruit available in the Bay Area. Marisa Churchill, consulting executive pastry chef at the newly opened Pampas, a Brazilian steakhouse in Palo Alto, suggests asking the produce vendor to recommend the freshest local fruit in season and tasting it before buying. It's imperative that you use only the ripest, juiciest fruit when making desserts, especially low-fat ones.

My ice cream machine runs nonstop throughout the summer because for me, sorbets are the quintessential fat-free summer dessert. All you need to make them is ripe, or even overripe fruit, sugar and water or juice. Poaching and roasting are two other ways of preparing fruit desserts without fat. Peaches, apricots, plums and chunks of cantaloupe or honeydew are all delicious simmered in a syrup made with sugar, water, wine or juice.

David Lebovitz, author of "Ripe for Dessert" (Harper Collins, 2003) suggests substituting honey for the sugar to add greater depth of flavor. Other noteworthy additions are fresh herbs, such as mint, thyme, or basil; lemon, lime or orange zest; flavorings, such as vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom or fresh ginger.

Simple roasting rules

Roasting fruit is similar to roasting vegetables. Baking the fruit in a hot oven intensifies its flavor. The best summer fruit for roasting are peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums. I like to cut them in half, remove the pits, and drizzle the cut side with a little honey or brown sugar. If you cut the fruit in half, it should only need to bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 425 degrees.

Meringue desserts are a low-fat dessert lover's dream, because egg whites are fat-free. By adding sugar to the whites you can make hard, crisp meringue shells that are delicious filled with a variety of fresh fruit and berries.

But I'm partial to soft meringue desserts, like Forgotten Meringue Torte. The outer edges become very crisp while the inside melts in your mouth.

Few desserts show off summer's bounty like fresh fruit pies and shortcakes. (See recipe for Chocolate Berry Shortcakes at sfgate.com/food.) The challenge, of course, lies in reducing the fat in the crust and the biscuits.

A traditional pie crust contains half the amount of fat to flour, and often even more. By browning the butter, a technique that evaporates the water and intensifies the flavor, you can reduce the amount of butter and still get great taste. To help keep the pie crust tender, I substitute pastry flour for part of the all-purpose flour. It may not be traditional, but it works. When you have fabulous fresh fruit, the crust or biscuit becomes far less important.

Rethinking whipped cream

Many years ago, I began substituting low-fat sour cream for half the whipping cream when making whipped toppings for desserts. I was looking for something that tasted like creme fraiche, French fermented cream. My guests liked it so much they often asked me what brand of cream I was using. You can whip it up a day ahead and it will remain soft and fluffy, perfect for dolloping on pies, crisps and shortcakes. (See "Whipped Sweet & Sour Cream" recipe at sfgate.com/food.)

I haven't had a chance to try these desserts on my friend, but I am pretty confident that when she tastes them, she will change her mind. I did bring several to a large gathering recently and they were impressed. I hope you will be, too.

Sorbet made simple For the softest and creamiest texture, use 1/2 cup of sugar to every 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pureed fruit. If you reduce the sugar too much, the sorbet will become icy. A little lemon or lime juice, spices such as vanilla or cinnamon, and a tablespoon of alcohol, such as vodka or a complementary fruit liqueur, are often welcome additions. Many chefs recommend cooking the sugar and water to make a simple syrup and then refrigerating it until it cools. I have found this step to be unnecessary and time consuming, unless you want to add fresh herbs or spices that need to steep in the hot syrup. Otherwise, substitute superfine sugar for regular granulated sugar and add it and the water directly to the fruit. - Marlene Sorosky Gray

Lighter dessert tips -- Substitute thick Greek yogurt for part of the sour cream. -- Substitute half low-fat sour cream for whipped cream when making a topping for shortcakes, pies, crisps and cobblers. -- To reduce saturated fat, substitute canola oil for part of the butter. -- To reduce butter in pie crusts and biscuits, heat half the amount of butter called for in the recipe until golden brown. If the recipe calls for it chilled, pour it into a bowl and freeze or refrigerate. -- When reducing fat in a pie crust (using brown butter, per above), roll it out between sheets of plastic wrap instead of with flour. -- Substitute unsweetened cocoa for chocolate. It is significantly lower in fat. You can generally replace 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate with 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of butter. -- To enhance chocolate flavor, add coffee, a chocolate or coffee liqueur or chocolate extract. -- To obtain a nutty flavor using a small amount of nuts, toast them and add a small amount of nut oil. -- For a fat-free boost of flavor, add a small amount of spirits or liqueurs to custards, mousses, ice cream and sorbet. - Marlene Sorosky Gray

Peaches Poached in Spiced Prosecco Serves 6 Cinnamon sticks and cloves add a delicate hint of spice to the tender peaches. 1 bottle (750 ml) Prosecco

1/2 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

4 cloves

6 medium to large peaches, (freestone preferred), cut in half and pits removed

2 tablespoons peach schnapps, (optional)

-- Vanilla frozen yogurt for serving (optional) Instructions: In a medium saucepan, combine the Prosecco, 1 cup water, honey, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the peaches to the liquid and cover with a piece of parchment or waxed paper and a plate to keep the fruit submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes or until the fruit is soft when pierced with a small knife. With a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to a glass baking dish, set aside until they're cool enough to handle and slip off the peel. Boil syrup over medium-high heat until it becomes thick and syrupy and is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Strain out spices and stir in peach schnapps, if using. Cool and pour over peaches. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours, turning the peaches occasionally so that both sides get soaked in syrup. To serve: Place 2 peach halves in a shallow bowl and spoon syrup over. If desired, top with a scoop of yogurt. Per serving: 210 calories, 1 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 0 fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 7 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

Nectarine & Boysenberry Pie with Brown Butter Crust Serves 8 You need to make and freeze the brown butter at least 45 minutes ahead, so be sure to plan accordingly. The nectarines and half of the berries in the filling are not cooked, so it is important that they are ripe and sweet. Because the pie crust has such a small amount of fat, it is best to roll it out on plastic wrap. The pie crust:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

The filling:

7 ripe nectarines

3 cups boysenberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch Instructions: To make brown butter, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling pan as needed. Cook until it turns deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Watch carefully; it goes from brown to burnt black in seconds. Immediately pour into a small bowl that can be put in the freezer. Freeze until solid. When ready to use, go around edge with the tip of a sharp knife and remove to a cutting board. Cut into small pieces. For the pie crust: Put both flours, sugar and salt into food processor; process 30 seconds. Add brown butter and oil and process until crumbly. Add 5 tablespoons ice water all at once and mix until dough begins to hold together. If necessary, add remaining 1 tablespoon water. Place oven rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°. To roll the pastry, lay 2 sheets of plastic wrap overlapping lengthwise on work surface. Turn pastry onto center of wrap and press into a flattened disk. Cover with 2 more sheets of plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. Remove the top sheets of wrap and invert the dough into an ovenproof glass 9 1/2- or 10-inch pie dish. Gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan. Remove the remaining wrap. Cut off excess dough, leaving enough to fold edges under and crimp. Prick bottom and sides of dough with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden and bottom is light brown. Remove to rack and cool completely. (Crust may be covered and stored at room temperature overnight.) For the filling: Up to 6 hours before serving, slice the nectarines into a bowl and toss lightly with 1 1/2 cups of the berries. Spoon into baked crust. In a medium saucepan, stir sugar, cornstarch and 3/4 cup water. Add remaining berries and bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring often, 5-7 minutes. The mixture should be thin enough to fall between fruit, but thick enough to hold fruit together. Spoon over pie, drizzling it over and around fruit. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Variation: Blackberries may be substituted for the boysenberries and peeled peaches for the nectarines. Per serving: 320 calories, 4g protein, 56 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (4 g saturated), 16 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Apricot & Cherry Crisp Serves 6 Tender cherries and slices of apricots are blanketed with a crispy amaretti cookie streusel topping. If desired, serve the crisp with frozen vanilla yogurt or Whipped Sweet & Sour Cream flavored with a tablespoon of apricot brandy. The streusel topping:

12 to 24 amaretti cookies, depending on size, broken into pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

The fruit:

2 pounds medium to large apricots (about 10)

1/2 pound cherries (about 30), pitted and halved

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup granulated sugar Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°. Spray an 8- or 9-inch-square baking dish with nonstick coating. To make topping, in a food processor, process amaretti cookies into crumbs. You should have 1/2 cup. Add flour and brown sugar and pulse to mix. Add oil and butter and process until crumbly. To prepare fruit, slice apricots into 1/2-inch thick slices. Put apricots and cherries into a bowl. Add cornstarch and sugar and toss to coat fruit. Pour into prepared baking dish. Crumble topping over the fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden. Let stand at least 15 minutes before spooning onto plates. Serve warm or at room temperature. Per serving: 350 calories, 5 g protein, 62 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (3 g saturated), 10 mg cholesterol, 12 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Honeydew Melon Sorbet with a Hint of Mint Makes about 3 cups Adding alcohol to sorbet keeps it from freezing solid and ensures it has a creamy texture. This sorbet won't get icy, even after being frozen for several days. To ensure it has the utmost flavor, it's important to use an overripe, almost mushy melon. 1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1 very ripe honeydew, cut into cubes (4 cups)

1/3 cup Midori melon liqueur Instructions: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar, water and mint to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Strain syrup into a small bowl, pressing on mint to release its flavor. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. (Syrup may be refrigerated for one week.) Puree honeydew in food processor until smooth. Pour into ice cream machine. Add chilled mint syrup and liqueur and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Sorbet should be firm enough to scoop, but will remain fairly soft. Transfer to a bowl and freeze. Per 1/2 cup: 200 calories, 1 g protein, 46 g carbohydrate, 0 fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 17 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Forgotten Meringue Torte Serves 8-10 Many years ago, a friend's mother gave me this unique recipe. She said that it had been in her Austrian family for decades. A springform pan is filled with meringue and put into a 450° oven. The oven is immediately turned off and the dessert is left in it for 12 to 24 hours, during which time it can be forgotten. Just remember to take it out before you turn on the oven again. If you are worried about food safety, use pasteurized egg whites. They will take a little longer to whip than specified. You can make the Triple Berry Sauce ahead of time, and freeze. 7 egg whites (1 cup), at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Triple Berry Sauce:

3 cups blueberries, raspberries and/or sliced strawberries

3 to 6 tablespoons superfine sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Instructions: Preheat oven to 450°. Spray bottom and sides of a 9 x 3-inch or 10-inch springform pan with nonstick coating. In mixing bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated, about 8 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 6 minutes or until softly curved peaks form when the beater is lifted. Do not under-beat. Transfer meringue to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Place in oven and immediately turn oven off. Cool in closed oven for at least 12 hours. Resist the temptation to open the oven door and peek. The meringue will rise and fall, leaving pieces of crusty meringue around sides of pan. For the Triple Berry Sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring berries, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring until berries are soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl, pressing and stirring puree with a wooden spoon to extract as much seedless puree as possible. Stir in lemon juice and more sugar, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour until cold. You'll have about 1 3/4 cups sauce, which may be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen. To serve: When ready to serve, go around edges of meringue with a sharp knife and push the crusty pieces onto the top of the dessert. Don't worry about the looks. Using a big spoon, scoop meringue onto dessert plates. Spoon Triple Berry Sauce over the top and serve. Per serving: 150 calories, 3 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 0 fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 95 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Fat-Free Fudge Sauce Makes 1 1/2 cups sauce Serve over desserts or ice cream or as a dip for strawberries, sliced peaches, nectarines or chunks of banana or pineapple. 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup golden brown sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring sugars, cocoa, yogurt and 2 tablespoons water to a boil. stirring occasionally. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and cool. (Sauce may be refrigerated covered up to 1 week.) Serve warm or chilled. Per serving: 50 calories, 1 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 9 mg sodium, 0 fiber.

Chocolate Berry Shortcakes Serves 8 You need to make and freeze the brown butter at least 45 minutes ahead, so be sure to plan accordingly. The chocolate biscuits:

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch process

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons low-fat or nonfat buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The filling:

4 pints strawberries, stemmed (about 7 cups), or blackberries

4 to 6 tablespoons sugar, to taste

-- Whipped Sweet & Sour Cream (optional, see Recipel)

-- Warm Fat-Free Fudge Sauce (see Recipe) Instructions: To make brown butter, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling pan as needed. Cook until it turns deep golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Watch carefully; it goes from brown to burnt black in seconds. Immediately pour into a small bowl that can be put in the freezer. Freeze until solid. When ready to use, go around edge with the tip of a sharp knife and remove to a cutting board. Cut into small pieces. For the biscuits: Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking liner. Place flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into food processor; process 30 seconds. Add brown butter and oil and process until crumbly. Stir buttermilk and vanilla together and pour all at once into flour mixture. Process until dough holds together. Using two soup spoons, drop dough into 8 mounds at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until tops feel firm when lightly pressed with fingertips. Remove to racks to cool. (Biscuits may be stored at room temperature overnight. Reheat at 350° to recrisp the tops.) For the berries: Up to 6 hours before serving, slice and halve berries. If large, cut into quarters. Remove 2 cups and puree or mash with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Put cut berries and mashed berries into a medium bowl. Stir in remaining sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 or up to 6 hours. Meanwhile, make fudge sauce. To assemble: Using a serrated knife, cut biscuits in half horizontally. Place a bottom on each plate. Spoon berries over. Top with Whipped Sweet & Sour Cream, if using (see recipe). Place top of biscuit over and drizzle with warm fudge sauce. Pass remaining sauce. Per serving: 340 calories, 4 g protein, 69 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (4 g saturated), 13 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.