Angel-light dessert recipes:Orange chiffon pie, Lime Bavarian Charlotte,Lemon Snow Sponge, Lemon meringue pie &Spanish cream recipes
by Virginia T Habeeb
Nothing is more delightfully surprising than a light, cloud-like dessert that could all but float in the air. And what a pleasant change in this day and age of dieting to be served something so ephemeral after a heavy meal. These desserts are not without calories, but they’re not filling. And they’re so breathtakingly beautiful — a delight to look at as well as to eat.
If you want your share of kudos — and isn’t that half the fun of cooking?) bring each, all in one piece, to the table and serve it after your guests have feasted their eyes on your work of art. Here are three of our extra-special angel-light desserts you’ll want to enjoy and clip for your recipe file.
Left to right: Orange Chiffon Pie is light and refreshing with orange and lemon juices and flecks of orange rind made frothy with a meringue of egg whites. It’s served in a flaky pastry shell and topped with fresh orange slices and whipped cream.
Lime Bavarian Charlotte is proud and fancy and ever so tasty with lime juice and rind folded into a smooth, creamy mixture of egg yolks and airy whites. Surrounded by ladyfingers and topped with pistachio nuts, it’s almost too pretty to eat).
Lemon Snow Sponge is a sweet egg-white cloud, molded, chilled, and topped with sunny, tart lemon jelly. Shimmering and light, its bound to please both family and guests — especially when you serve it with strawberry halves and succulent grapes.
Light dessert recipes #1: Orange chiffon pie recipe
Ingredients:One 9-inch pastry shell; 1 envelope unflavored gelatin; 1/2 cup sugar; 3/4 cuporange juice; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten; 4 egg whites; 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar; 1/2 cupsugar; 1 tablespoon grated orange rind.
Directions:Bake and cool pastry shell. Combine gelatin, 1/2 cup sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and egg yolks in top of double boiler. Cook over simmering, not boiling, water until gelatin and sugar are dissolved and mixture slightly coats spoon. Cool; chill until mixture is thickened and creamy, but not set.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar slowly; continue to beat until firm peaks form and meringue is shiny. Fold thickened gelatin mixture and orange rind gently into meringue. Pour into pastry shell; swirl top with spoon; if mixture is not thick enough to hold shape, chill before pouring into pastry shell.)
Garnish with fresh orange sections and whipped cream if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Light dessert recipes #2:Lime Bavarian Charlotterecipe
Ingredients: 2 dozen ladyfingers; 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin; 1/2 cupsugar; 3/4 cup lime juice; 1/4 cupwater; 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten; 4 egg whites; 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar; 1/2 cupsugar; 1 tsp. grated lime rind; 1 c. heavy cream, whipped; green food color.
Directions:Separate ladyfingers. Line an 8-inch springform pan with split ladyfingers, cutting to fit pan so all spaces are filled. Combine gelatin, 1 cup sugar, lime juice, water, and egg yolks in top of double boiler. Cook over simmering, not boiling, water until gelatin and sugar are dissolved and mixture thickens slightly. Cool; chill until mixture mounds slightly when spooned.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar slowly. Continue to beat until firm peaks form and meringue is shiny. Fold chilled lime mixture and lime rind gently into meringue; fold in whipped cream and enough food color to tint a pastel green.
Pour into prepared pan. Chill several hours or until set. Garnish with chopped pistachio nuts and additional whipped cream, if desired. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
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Light dessert recipes #3:Lemon Snow Spongerecipe
Ingredients:2 envelopes unflavored gelatin; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/8 tsp. salt; 3 cup boiling water; 2/3 cuplemon juice; yellow food color; 3 egg whites; 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar; 1/4 cupsugar; 1 tsp. grated lemon rind.
Directions:Combine gelatin, 36 cup sugar, and salt in mixing bowl. Add water; stir until dry ingredients are dissolved; cool. Add lemon juice. For sparkling lemon top, measure about 1/2 cup of gelatin mixture into small bowl (amount you use will depend on design of your mold, but use no more than 3/4 cup). Add a drop of yellow food color to make a bright lemon yellow.
Pour into 6-cup mold; chill until almost set. Chill remaining gelatin mixture until syrupy. Set it in a larger bowl with ice cubes for quick chilling. When gelatin is syrupy, quickly beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form; beat in 34 cup sugar slowly; continue to beat until firm peaks form and meringue is shiny. Fold syrupy gelatin mixture and grated lemon rind gently into meringue. Spoon carefully into mold.
Chill several hours or until firm. Unmold; garnish with fresh, frozen, or canned fruits, as desired. Makes 6 servings.
Light dessert recipes #4:Spanish cream recipe
Ingredients:1 envelope unflavored gelatin; 1/4 cupsugar; 1/8 tsp. salt; 3 egg yolks, beaten; 2-1/2 cupsmilk; 1 tsp. vanilla; 3 egg whites; 1/4 cupsugar. Blend gelatin, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in top of double boiler.
Directions:Beat egg yolks with milk until blended; stir into gelatin mixture. Cook over simmering, not boiling, water, stirring constantly, until gelatin and sugar are dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla; cool; chill until mixture mounds slightly when spooned. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Beat in cup sugar slowly; continue to beat until firm peaks form and meringue is shiny. Fold thickened egg-yolk mixture into meringue. Pour into 1-quart mold. Chill several hours or overnight. Serve with chocolate sauce, fruit sauce, or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Light dessert recipes #5:Lemon Meringue Pie recipe
Ingredients:One 9-inch pastry shell; 3/4 cup cornstarch; 1-1/2 cupssugar; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1-3/4 cupswater; 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten; 2 tbs. butter or margarine; 1 tsp. grated lemon rind; 1/2 cuplemon juice; 4 egg whites; 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar; 1/2 cupsugar.
Directions: Bake and cool pastry shell. Combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt in saucepan; blend in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Stir half the mixture into the egg yolks; return mixture to saucepan. Lower heat; cook gently 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and lemon rind and juice; cool. Pour into pastry shell. Set oven at 350 F. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy; beat in 1/2 cup sugar gradually; continue beating until meringue stands in firm, glossy peaks.
