Low-Sugar Desserts Becoming A Refreshing Holiday Alternative

‘Tis the season of parties, presents and sugar overload - when it’s impossible to shop without being offered a Christmas cookie.

Many of my cooking friends are finding low-sugar desserts a welcome change from the ever-present chocolate and marzipan of holiday treats. By mid-December, I am personally overjoyed to find simplicity among the turtle pies and chocolate decadence on the dessert buffet.

There’s nothing dull or unfestive about low-sugar desserts.

Simple flavors predominate but are still rich-tasting: fruit and berries, sauces of red or white wines, tangy lemon and orange zest, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg - all sweet-tooth satisfying without being overly sugary.

Simplest are poached winter fruits. Pears, tart apples, dried apricots and dates simmered in strong-flavored liquid taste heavenly and slightly exotic.

Wine or grape juice is my favorite poaching medium. Since much of the alcohol in wine cooks off within 10 minutes, calories in wine-poached fruit are minimal.

And besides having rich flavor, wine-poached fruit is simply beautiful to behold with garnet and pale amber colors, like jewels on the buffet table.

Store-bought angel food cake is another quick-and-easy, low-sugar dessert. For holiday parties or potlucks, I slice it into thick wedges, drizzle each slice with reduced poaching liquid (simmered until syrupy and thick), and top it with low-fat yogurt or sour cream.

Or arrange individual dessert plates with a fan of sliced tropical fruits - kiwi, berries, bananas, pineapple, mango - then top with Lemon-Berry Sauce and low-fat sour cream.

Winter Fruit Bowl

This simple combination always garners raves. Serve this dessert warm or chilled in an elegant glass bowl.

6 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced into rounds

2 Bosc or other winter pears, peeled, cored and thickly sliced into rounds

1/4 cup whole pitted dates

1/3 cup whole dried apricots

3 cups red Zinfandel or red grape juice

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon honey

Grated orange peel for garnish

Place apples and pears in 4-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add dates, apricots, wine, cinnamon stick and honey.

Simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat 25 to 30 minutes or until fruit is soft but not falling apart. Garnish with grated orange peel. Serve with poaching liquid.

Yield: 6 servings.

Lemon-Berry Sauce

This simple sauce is the busy cook’s boon. It can be made up to four days before serving and spooned over sliced angel food cake or vanilla frozen yogurt.

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, strawberries or blueberries

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, maple syrup or honey, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Place berries, sugar, nutmeg, lemon peel and cornstarch in blender and puree on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Transfer to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until sauce thickens, 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 2-1/2 cups.

Holiday Cherry Compote

From “100 Percent Pleasure,” by Nancy Baggett and Ruth Glick (Rodale Press). Use unsweetened cranberry juice for a more tart compote, cranberry juice cocktail for something sweeter.

3 cups unsweetened pitted dark cherries, fresh or frozen

1 tablespoon honey or sugar, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Dash ground cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine cherries, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and 3/4 cup cranberry juice in medium saucepan. Mix well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup cranberry juice in small bowl. Increase heat under pan so that liquid begins to boil. Add cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly and cook, stirring, 1 minute or until sauce thickens.

Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

Yield: 4 servings.