Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is typically a time of optimism and self-reflection. And while the foods for the holiday often are symbolic of a sweet and pleasant year to come, it's hard for some of us not to reflect on the negative effect a sugary, rich dish will have on our waistlines.
But these worries don't have to stop you from celebrating this year's new beginning with a suitably sweet treat.
Desserts made with fruits are the perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth without necessarily loading up on traditional diet busters such as fat and processed sugars.
These challah bread apple summer puddings feature a crispy, golden crust made with thin slices of the traditional Jewish celebration loaf, along with a filling of apples and honey, two Rosh Hashana mainstays.
And rather than being made rich with a stick of butter and a lot of white sugar, these molded desserts are made with sweet, natural apple butter.
Apple butter is a mixture of apples, cider, sugar and spices that is slow cooked until thick, smooth and caramelized. The thick, buttery consistency makes it a good spread for breads, a condiment or an ingredient in baking. Look for it with the jellies and jams in most markets.
Health-minded cooks have been using applesauce to cut fat in baked goods for a long time, but the complex spiciness of apple butter adds even more depth of flavor, along with a subtle, rounded sweetness that allows you to omit some of the processed sugar, as well.
Most fruit butters and purees can work well as a substitute for some of the fat in baking because they contain plenty of pectin, which is a natural thickener and has the kind of slippery mouth feel that fats bring to foods.
Serve challah bread apple summer puddings hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
CHALLAH BREAD APPLE SUMMER PUDDINGS
* Start to finish: 50 minutes (20 minutes active). Makes 8 servings.
* What you'll need:
8 teaspoons sugar
20 very thin slices challah bread
4 cups peeled and grated Golden Delicious apples (about 4 to 5 large apples)
1 cup apple butter
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
* How to do it:
Heat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat eight 6-ounce custard cups or other ramekins with cooking spray. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to each cup and swirl to coat the inside.
Lay 8 slices of the bread on a work surface. With a cookie cutter or a small glass, cut out 8 circles of bread just large enough to fit in the bottoms of the custard cups. Trim the crusts from the remaining 12 slices of bread, then cut the slices into rectangles or squares. Use the pieces to line the sides of the ramekins, overlapping slightly to completely line the sides. Set aside.
In a bowl, stir together the apples, apple butter, raisins, honey and lemon zest. Spoon the mixture into the bread-lined cups. Press the filling down into the cups, smoothing the tops. Set the puddings on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned on the sides and bottom.
Run a knife around the inside of each cup and invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.
* Nutrition information per serving: 461 calories; 57 calories from fat (12 percent of total calories); 6 g fat (2 g saturated; o g trans fats); 51 mg cholesterol; 93 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 6 g fiber; 501 mg sodium.
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