by Rose Reisman

We often think of the holidays as the time to indulge and we most often indulge in food and drink. That’s one of the reasons it is so easy to gain 3lbs to 5lbs during this time that is going to be very hard to lose once the holidays are over. Have a look at some of my tips for making your traditional desserts lighter for the holidays.

Cheesecakes:

• Ricotta cheese contains much less fat than regular cream cheese. Light cream cheese should always replace full fat cream cheese.

• For crusts use cookie crumbs and use no more than 2 tbsp oil, not butter and water to hold together.

• Use lower fat sour cream or yogurt.

Coffee cakes:

• Use oil rather than butter.

• Cut back the fat in your traditional recipes by as much as 50% by substituting ingredients, such as banana or date puree, light sour cream or yogurt, crushed pineapple or applesauce

• For chocolate cakes substitute cocoa for the melted chocolate and increase the sugar. Sprinkle in some chocolate chips for flavor

• Icings can be made with a mixture of beaten light cream cheese instead of butter, icing sugar and a little water until creamy. Instead of icing entire cake just drizzle over top

• A mixture of icing sugar and water also makes for a no fat icing. Add flavorings such as cocoa, lemon juice or mint flavoring

Fruit Crisps

• Instead of holding the crisp topping together with butter, substitute vegetable oil and water. Use equal amounts.

Pies, flans and tarts

• Instead of butter or lard crusts, substitute cookie crumbs and hold together with water and oil, using a 2:1 ratio

• Use a combination of ricotta and light cream cheese instead of full fat cream cheese

• Use low fat condensed milk instead of full fat or whipping cream

Crème caramels and Brulees

• Use lower fat milk or evaporated milk instead of whipped cream or full fat milk

• If more than 2 eggs are in recipe substitute 2 egg whites for each additional egg

Brownies

• Use cocoa instead of melted chocolate. Increase sugar

• Use oil not butter and use no more than 1/3 cup for a 9” x 9” pan. Substitute light sour cream or yogurt for excess oil or butter

Muffins and Loaves

• Use no more than 1/3 cup vegetable oil for 12 muffins or 1 loaf cake. Substitute lower fat yogourt or sour cream for the oil.

Biscotti

• Better choice than cookies since they require less fat

• Use oil rather than butter

• Cut the nuts and chocolate chips in half or substitute dried chopped fruit

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The photo judged to be the best example of “50 going on 15″ by popular vote was selected as the lucky winner of a memorable prize. Yes, it really was 50lbs of chocolate.

The prize winner was Debbie Watson from Hamilton. The winning photo depicted Debbie at a fund-raiser all decked out in “Elton John” style glasses and looking completely silly (in a good way). She’s a critical care nurse, and had a tough time fitting in a drive to Toronto’s Chocolicks to collect her prize. We could hardly mail it! So we all – Rob Campbell from Lenzr (pictured right, holding all 50lbs), Cheryl from Chocolics, Debbie and Bill Watson from Hamilton, and Tina Rogers, Publisher of Tempo Toronto – gathered in one chocolate-y place.

Have you any idea what Over 50lbs of chocolate looks like? On the left is just one of the five 10lb bars we loaded into her car – Debbie was just fooling with us pretending to nibble off a corner. You really do need a hammer (rubber mallet) to break it.

All Tempo Toronto contests have great prizes. Lenzr helped us put together an attention-getting contest like no other – so thanks to Rob Campbell. And thanks to Debbie for being such a good sport.

What Debbie had to say when she’d recovered from the shock of seeing a mountain of chocolate …

“As a nurse I know the benefits of chocolate, but nothing could prepare me for the amazing sight of 50 pounds of chocolate. Immediately my mouth was drooling and the sweetness was filling my senses. I know all my favourite recipes will be chocolate enhanced. I’m talking about my fudge, cheesecake, cakes drizzled with chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries and candied fruits. Hey, why can’t I indulge in its decadence by itself?  I’m already pricing a chocolate fountain and I predict a chocolate party in the near future. Thank you to everyone involved in this contest. Sometimes contest prizes are described as “Sweet”, but this one is absolutely decadent!”

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Are You 50 Going On 15? Do You Have any Pictures?

Tempo Toronto sponsors a fab photo contest on Lenzr

What would you do for ‘over 50 lbs of chocolate’ ? No kidding. This really is the prize for uploading the highest ranked photo by July 1st 2010.

Like the readership of this web magazine, Tempo Toronto is always ready to embrace new social media innovations. So, yes, we are sponsoring a completely ludicrous prize! Can you imagine what over-50 pounds of dark, quality chocolate will look like? Share with your friends. – for months to come. This prize is worth hundreds of dollars.

Lenzr is a serial photo contest website where business leverages photography to make art. It’s a unique model, the website is 100% user driven and 100% ‘user graded’ content is rewarded by sponsors. On Lenzr, the register members have powerful votes, while unregistered visitors have weak votes. It all adds up until the end of June, when the photo with the highest ranking wins the prize.

The prize is something else again – it’s just plain dark chocolate, and giving away over 50 lbs is just plain weird. Be careful with this prize. This is the kind of reward that ruins waistlines and obsoletes wardrobes.

Just click on the word “Lenzr“, and you’ll l be directed to the contest site. Have some fun with us. You’re worth it.

The prize comes from the land of chocolate through the cool Toronto chocolate company, Chocolicks

Contest ends July 1st, 2010

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This is the easiest, richest, chocolatiest dessert ever. You won’t believe it can be so simple. Or so fast.

For six:

• 6 eggs
• 6 oz dark chocolate, best quality , 70% cocao solids
• 6 tsp liqueur of your choice (rum, Grand Marnier, chocolate mint …)
• Fruit of your choice (berries are best), enough for six

1. Melt the chocolate gently over a bain marie, and let it cool slightly
2. Separate the eggs
3. Add the yolks one at a time, stirring them thoroughly into to the melted chocolate
4. Add the booze of your choice and stir it in thoroughly
5. Whisk the egg whites until standing in stiff peaks
6. Loosen the chocolate mixture first by folding through a few tablespoons of the stiff egg whites (this is important)
7. Fold the rest of the egg whites gently into the chocolate mixture
8. Spoon into individual serving dishes (individual stemmed glassware is perfect, and impressive) then add a few berries to each serving, using a skewer to ‘poke’ them down into the mixture
9. Chill for at least four hours
10. Sprinkle a few fresh berries on top to serve

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