Crohn's-Friendly, Fruit-Inspired Desserts: Recipes for Mousse and More

Many Crohn's patients have trouble eating fruit, whether or not they are having a flare. Others seem to manage fruit with no problems; all people with Crohn's have their own "safe-food" list and "always-avoid" list, it seems. Know your customer when you are cooking for someone with Crohn's, even if that someone is you.

Fruit is part of a healthy diet, even for Crohn's patients. Typically it's the fiber found in most fruits that cause irritation, inflammation and pain for Crohn's patients. Fruits such as bananas, which are low in fiber and easily digestible, generally cause fewer problems than, for example, an apple with its peel intact. Some Crohn's patients seem to do better with canned fruit in light syrup; it should be remembered, though, that the canning process usually removes some of the nutrients from food, so Crohn's patients, like most people, need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

I love dessert, and I love fruit, and I have found that since I've had Crohn's, I can eat cooked fruit with far less likelihood of irritation to my system than I can raw fruits. That little touch of sugar is the icing on the cake, if you'll pardon the expression, for me.

In the following recipes I have used yogurt and milk; if you are (or are cooking for) a Crohn's patient who cannot tolerate dairy, these can be replaced by a soy product with a similar texture. Dairy is often on the "avoid" list for Crohn's patients, although I have never had trouble with it. Also, by replacing the sugar with a sugar substitute, such as Splenda TM, these recipes become perfect for the diabetic as well.

Please read the entire ingredient list and the entire instructions before starting!

D'Anjou Upside-Down Cake For Crohn's

Topping

2 ½ cups peeled, cored, and finely diced D'Anjou pears (or use 1 large can pears in light syrup, diced) reserve ½ cup syrup or pear juice.

3 tablespoons margarine

½ cup blueberries, washed and dried

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

2/3 cup brown sugar

Cake

1/3 cup shortening

½ cup white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sale

½ cup pear juice or syrup (reserved from topping)

Make topping: melt margarine in a 9" round cake pan, 1 ½ inches deep. Arrange pear pieces and blueberries on bottom of pan. Mix lemon juice with cloves and sprinkle over the fruit. Sprinkle the brown sugar over to cover.

Make Cake: Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add it alternately with reserved juice, mixing well after each addition. Spread batter over the brown sugar and fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden. Let cake stand in pan for about 5 minutes, then quickly invert it onto a large plate or platter (this is easiest if you put the plate upside down on the top of the pan, then invert them both together) and remove the pan. Serve warm in wedges; add whipped topping or ice cream if desired. Serves 8.

Spring Berry Pie for Crohn's Patients

This "pie" has no bottom crust. I use a pre-made pie crust for the top to simplify, but if you prefer to make your own pie crust, that's fine too! Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

1 cup fresh or canned gooseberries or lingonberries

1 cup fresh strawberries, washed, drained, hulled, and halved (If you cannot tolerate strawberries - some Crohn's patients find them too acidic - you can substitute by increasing some of the other berries)

2 cups fresh red raspberries, washed and drained

1 cup fresh blackberries, washed and drained

3 cups fresh blueberries, washed and drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/3 cup Chambord (or other berry liqueur, or pure berry juice, not mixed with grape or apple juices; the alcohol will cook out, but if you prefer not to use it, you can substitute)

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup tapioca

3/4 cup sugar

1 pie crust

1 egg white beaten with about 1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl, stir together all the berries. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, lemon zest, and Chambord. Toss just to coat. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, tapioca, and sugar, and toss this gently with the berries. Put the berry mixture into a 1 ½ quart round casserole dish. Put the pie crust over the top of the dish. (The edges of the crust should hang over the sides of the dish; if they don't, roll the crust a little thinner.) Pull the crust as tightly as you can without tearing it over the top of the casserole, and press the crust edges against the side of the dish. Brush the beaten egg white over the crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then REDUCE heat to 350 degrees, and bake for 25 more minutes, or until pie crust is golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly (about 10 minutes). Serve warm, and add a whipped topping or ice cream if desired. Serves 8.

(Note: You may substitute any of the berries for another berry, as long as you end up with 8 cups of berries total)

Nectarine Mousse

(Make this the night before you want to serve it, or early the morning of the day; you must refrigerate it for at least 8 hours!)

2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped nectarines; reserve 1/4 cup of the juice

1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon peach brandy, if desired

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (such as Knox TM)

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup Nectarine juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg white at room temperature

Put the nectarines, ginger, lemon juice, and brandy (if you use it) in a blender or food processor and blend until just pureed. Add the yogurt to the nectarine mixture and blend until just mixed; be careful not to overmix! In a small pan, soften the gelatin in the cold water and let stand for 1 minute. Place the pan on low heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved completely. Add the nectarine juice and 1/3 cup sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour it into a larger bowl and beat with a wire whisk until the mixture is just warm. Slowly whisk the nectarine and yogurt mixture into the gelatin mixture and blend well. Place the bowl into the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes, beating it with the whisk from time to time so lumps won't form. In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until it forms soft peaks. Add the 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the beaten egg white into the chilled nectarine mix; fold until it is completely mixed and there are no lumps. Transfer the mixture into a serving bowl and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours. Top servings with whipped topping, if desired. Serves 4.

Tart Apple Tarte

3 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and quartered.

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy) OR organic apple juice

2 tablespoons organic clover honey or apple blossom honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (8 inches by 8 inches), thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an eight inch cast iron skillet, or other oven-proof skillet, mix all the ingredients except the pastry. Stir the mixture on the stove top over medium heat until the liquid turns syrupy and a dark amber color - be careful not to burn it - then remove from heat. On a floured surface, roll the pastry sheet to a 1/8th inch thickness. Cut a 9 inch circle of pastry and place it over the apple mixture, tucking in the edges. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the puff pastry has puffed and is a golden brown. Immediately invert the cast-iron pan onto a cookie sheet and put it right under the broiler until the apples start to bubble and turn brown. Watch it the whole time, about 3 to 4 minutes, so it doesn't brown. Bring it out of the oven and serve it warm (not immediately, let it cool a little!). Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired. Serves 6.

I hope that you and your friends with Crohn's can find among these a recipe that they can enjoy without suffering for it later. They've all been taste-tested in my own kitchen, and I've had no problems. But as I said, every patient with Crohn's can tolerate different foods.