Candied Rose Petals

MAKES ABOUT 24 CANDIED PETALS
ingredients
2 organic roses, petals removed
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Splenda (Real sugar if you feel the need to indulge)
directions
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Brush both sides of each rose petal with the beaten egg white and dip in the splenda (sugar). Let dry on the wax paper.

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Cocoa Nib Whipped Cream
SERVES: 8
ingredients
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup non fat milk
2 tablespoons brandy
2 large egg and 3 egg whties, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon splenda sugar
1/4 cup water .
1 cup non fat creamer
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cocoa nibs (see Note), plus more for garnish

directions
-In a medium stainless steel bowl, combine the chocolate and the milk. Set the bowl in a skillet of barely simmering water and stir until the chocolate is nearly melted. Remove the bowl from the skillet and stir until completely melted. Stir in the brandy. Keep the skillet of water at a bare simmer.

-In another heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/4 cup of the splenda and the water until blended. Set the bowl in the skillet and stir gently and thoroughly, scraping the bottom frequently, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the eggs registers 160°. Remove the bowl from the skillet. Beat the eggs at high speed to the consistency of softly whipped cream, about 4 minutes.

-Fold one-fourth of the egg mixture into the melted chocolate, then fold the 2 mixtures together until no streaks remain. Pour the mousse into eight 1/2-cup bowls; refrigerate until chilled.

-Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, boil the cream with 2 tablespoons of the cocoa nibs. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and refrigerate until very cold.

-Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar to the cream and beat to soft peaks. Spoon a dollop of the cream on top of each mousse, garnish with cocoa nibs and serve.

Golden Strawberry Gratins

ingredients
3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 large eggs whites
1 large whole
1 egg yolks
1/2 cup Splenda
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

directions

-Preheat the broiler. Arrange the berries in 8 shallow heatproof dishes.
Bring several inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whisk the eggs with the yolks and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the Grand Marnier and whisk for 1 minute. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk continuously until the sabayon is thick and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes; be sure to whisk in the sabayon from the side of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the heat.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the sabayon on each dish of strawberries. Set 4 of the dishes on a baking sheet and broil for 1 minute, or until the sabayon is lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining dishes.

Banana Tartlets

ingredients
PASTRY
2 cups oat flour
1/4 cup splenda
Pinch of salt
5 ounces smart balance butter, chilled
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon water

FILLING
4 tablespoons butter
8 bananas (2 1/2 pounds), 4 mashed
3 tablespoons sugar free syrup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup splenda
1/4 cup light rum

directions
-Make the pastry: In a food processor, combine the oat flour, splenda and salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water, then add it to the processor and pulse until combined. Transfer the dough to a work surface and gather it into a ball.

-Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and flatten each piece into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly butter six 4-by-1-inch ring molds or tartlet pans with removable bottoms. If using ring molds, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry disks into 1/8 -inch-thick rounds and gently ease them into the molds. Trim off any overhang. Bake the pastry shells for about 30 minutes, or until golden all around and cooked through. Let cool completely before unmolding.

-Make the filling: Melt half of the butter in a medium skillet. Add the 4 mashed bananas and the honey and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until hot to the touch and very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the nutmeg, then transfer the puree to a bowl to cool completely. In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar until firm. Fold the banana puree into the whipped cream and refrigerate.

Up to 1 hour before serving, slice the remaining 4 bananas 1/3 inch thick and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. Add the splenda sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until an amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and at arm’s length, add the rum. Stir until smooth. Add the sliced bananas and stir to coat with the caramel.

Spoon the banana cream into the pastry shells and arrange the caramelized banana slices decoratively on top. Transfer the tartlets to dessert plates. Spoon any leftover caramel sauce over the bananas and onto the plates and serve.

Honey-Baked Figs with Ice Cream

ingredients
-12 fresh figs
-1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
-4 teaspoons sugar free maple syrup
2 tablespoons cold smart balance butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 tablespoons water
1 pint non fat vanilla ice cream or yogurt

directions
-Heat the oven to 425°. Cut the stems off the figs. Rub the oil over the figs and put them in a baking pan, stem-side up. Cut a cross in the top of each fig, cutting almost to the bottom.

-Drizzle the syrup over the figs. Top each one with a piece of the butter. Bake the figs until they open up like flowers, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.

-Put the figs on plates, add the water to the pan, return the pan to the oven for 1 minute, and then stir to make a sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the warm figs and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Scallops Wrapped in Kaffir Lime Leaves

ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 large kaffir lime leaves or ice berg leaves
12 sea scallops (10 to 12 ounces)
Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

directions
-Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet. Add the onion and water and cover with a piece of moistened, crumpled parchment or wax paper. Cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the onion softens, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover partially and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep the onion warm.

-Using a sharp paring knife, make a lengthwise slit in a lime leaf along the vein, without cutting through either end. Carefully slip a scallop into the slit. Repeat with the remaining scallops and lime leaves. Season the scallops with salt and cayenne.

-In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the olive oil. Add the scallops and cook over high heat until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the scallops and cook until opaque throughout, about 2 minutes longer.

-Spoon the onion sauce in the center of warmed plates and arrange the scallops on top. Sprinkle
with the nutmeg and serve.