Crohn's-Friendly Desserts to Die for (That Won't Actually Hurt You!)

Like most healthy people, most people with Crohn's like a good dessert now and again. Some of us enjoy them more often than that. And a very large number of people love chocolate. So what's a Crohn's patient to do? If you're not having a flare, and you aren't lactose intolerant, and you try to reduce the fat, the options are almost limitless. Here are a few of my favorite divine, decadent desserts. Remember, portion control and moderation are always advised.

Devilishly Dark Chocolate Mousse

A lower-fat version of the original, this should serve six.

Ingredients:

6 ounces Bakers brand semi-sweet baking chocolate

½ tablespoon unflavord gelatin (such as Knox brand)

1/8 cup cold water

2 tablespoons double-strength brewed coffee (don't use instant!)

2 to 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or 1 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract

½ cup plain non-fat yogurt

2 egg whites at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat and cool slightly. In a small pan, soften the gelatin in the cold water, then burner to medium heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add the coffee and the Grand Marnier and slowly mix with a wire whisk until it thickens slightly, but doesn't actually gel. With the whisk, mix in the chocolate and yogurt, and mix until well-blended. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for about 10 to 20 minutes; it should thicken slightly. Beat the egg whites in a small bowl until soft peaks form; beat in the sugar one tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, and be sure it is well blended. Spoon into individual dessert glasses or dishes, and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. If desired, garnish with a slice of mandarin orange and a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6.

Orange Custard with Chocolate Glaze

An old-fashioned pudding all dressed up for the new millennium, this dessert should please the most jaded of palates. Warning: this is not low fat, so eat smaller portions! Serves 4 to 6, depending on portion size.

Custard Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup pulp-free orange juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

½ teaspoon clove powder

1 can mandarin oranges, drained (you can use the syrup instead of the juice if desired)

In the top of a double boiler over hot but not boiling water, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt with a wire whisk until well blended. Gradually stir in milk and orange juice, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats spoon, or about 25 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract, orange extract, and clove. Cover and remove from heat.

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 ½ tablespoons quality baking cocoa (Hershey's, Guittard)

1 tablespoon water

½ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In small saucepan over low heat melt the butter; add cocoa and water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Do not boil! Remove from heat, and quickly add confectioner's sugar and vanilla and beat with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth. You'll be drizzling this, so if it is too thick, add more warm water, a very little at a time, until it is "drizzling" consistency.

On 4 (or six) desert bowls or plates, divide the warm custard. Place two or three mandarin orange segments artfully atop the custard on each plate, then drizzle chocolate glaze over the whole thing, as beautifully as you can. Serve while still warm.

(If you simply must reduce the fat in this, substitute non-fat vanilla yogurt mixed with orange extract for the custard. It won't taste nearly as good, though.)

Chocolate Angelfood Strawberry Torte

For this angelfood cake, you will be slicing the baked cake into three layers, so it's best to use two large loaf pans instead of the more traditional tube pan. This can serve a fairly large crowd.

Cake Ingredients and Instructions:

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

½ cup good quality baking cocoa (Hershey's, Guittard)

1 cup flour

14 extra-large egg whites at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour, set aside. In a large bowl, with your mixer set at high speed, beat the eggwhites, cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt until well mixed. Still beating at high speed, add the sugar a little at a time, beat just until sugar is completely dissolved and eggwhites form stiff peaks. Don't scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing (Hint: if you have a stand mixer, use it for this.). With spatula, fold in the flour and cocoa mixture, about 1/4 at a time, just until flour disappears. Divide mixture between two large, UNGREASED loaf pans. With a metal spatula or knife, cut through the batter to break any air bubbles. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pans on wire rack and allow cakes to cool completely. With spatula, loosen cakes and remove to plates. Use toothpicks to mark each cake into three even layers, then cut across on the horizontal to make three layers from each cake. Set aside.

Strawberry Cream ingredients and directions:

2 cups chilled whipping cream (low fat if desired)

½ cup powdered sugar

2/3 cup seedless strawberry preserves

In a medium-sized chilled bowl, beat the cream, adding the sugar slowly, until the cream is stiff (taste as you beat to see if you'd like more sugar; add it if you do). Fold in the 2/3 cup strawberry preserves. Divide this mixture in half.

Make Chocolate Glaze from recipe above; wash, hull, and halve 1 cup strawberries.

Take one cake and half the strawberry cream. Place half the strawberry cream over the bottom layer and spread evenly. Top with middle layer. Place the other half of the strawberry cream over this layer and spread evenly. Top with top layer. Repeat with the other cake and the other half of the strawberry cream. On top of each cake, spread half the cup of halved strawberries; drizzle the chocolate glaze over the top of each cake. Serves 10 to 12, or more, depending on the thickness of your slices.

Caramel Pound Cake

This cake is very rich, so slices should be very small. If you can eat nuts without problems, you can add chopped pecans to both the cake and frosting. Both butter and shortening are in this cake; you need both to get the right texture. This cake is baked in a large tube pan.

Ingredients and instructions for cake:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup shortening

2 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup milk (2% or whole works best)

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon baking powder

(1 cup chopped pecans, if desired)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray tube pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Add the brown sugar about 1/4 cup at a time; beat well. Add the white sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift the baking powder and salt with the flour, then add flour mixture alternating with milk. Add the vanilla extract (and nuts, if desired). Bake in tube pan for about 1 ½ hours; long straw (or piece of uncooked spaghetti) should come out clean. Invert cake and cool in pan for about half an hour, then remove cake from pan onto large plate. This cake is so rich that it doesn't need frosting or ice cream, but below is a recipe for frosting should you want it.

Frosting:

½ stick butter (1/4 cup)

about 2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Milk to make spreading consistency

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and spread on top and outer sides of warm cake.