Minted Melon with Raspberries

(SERVES 6)

• 1 honeydew melon
• 225 g/8 oz raspberries
• 12 mint leaves
• 5 ml/1 tsp artificial sweetener granules
• A mint sprig

Cut a slice off the top of the melon and remove the seeds. Scoop out the flesh using a melon baller, or dig out with a small spoon. Mix with the raspberries in a bowl. Chop the mint leaves on a broad with the sweetener. Sprinkle over the fruit and chill. Cut a small slice off the base off the lemon so it stands upright. Place on a serving plate. Just before serving, pile the mixture back into the melon shell and decorate with the mint sprig.

Melon Glace

(SERVES 4)

• 2 small ogen, cantaloupe, galia or charentais melons
• 4 small scoops virtually fat-free vanilla ice or home-made Vanilla Ice cream
• 20 ml/4 tsp ginger wine

Halve the melons and scoop out the seeds. Place the fruit in four individual dishes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice or ice cream to the centre and spoon the ginger wine over. Serve straight away.

Venetian Coffee Cheese

(SERVES 6)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 15 ml/1 tbsp water
• 225 g/8 oz/1 cup very low-fat soft cheese
• 10 ml/2 tsp artificial sweetener granules (or to taste)
• 6 walnut halves

To serve:

• 12 ice-cream wafers

Mix the coffee with the water until dissolved. Gradually beat into the cheese with the sweetener. Taste ad re-sweeten, if liked. Turn into six very small serving pots and top each with a walnut half. Chill until ready to serve with the wafers.

Fresh Fruit Platter with Raspberry Sauce

(SERVES 6)

• 225 g/8 oz raspberries
• 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
• Artificial sweetener granules

A selection of sliced fresh fruits such as star fruit, mango, pawpaw, strawberries, kiwi fruit, orange, allowing 6-8 pieces per person.

Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor with the lemon juice. Pass through a sieve (strainer) to remove the seeds. Sweeten to taste. Put a pool of a sauce on six serving plates. Arrange the fruit attractively on top.

Strawberry Sorbet

(SERVES 6)

Prepare as for Raspberry Sorbet but use ripe strawberries instead of raspberries and the grated rind and juice of 1 lime instead of the lemon, if liked. There is no need to sieve (strain) the fruit after pureeing.

Raspberry Sorbet

(SERVES 6)

• 450 g/1 1b raspberries
• 5 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatine
• 175 ml/6 fl oz/ ¾ cup water
• Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon
• 15 ml/1 tbsp artificial sweetener granules
• 1 egg white

Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor, then pass through a sieve (strainer). Sprinkle with the gelatine over 45 ml/3 tbsp of the water in a bowl and leave to soften for 5 minutes. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until dissolved. Alternatively, place briefly in the microwave. Sir in the remaining water, the lemon rind and juice, the fruit puree and sweetener. Turn into a suitable freezer container with a lid. Cover and freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and whisk thoroughly to break up the ice crystals. Whisk the egg white until stiff and fold in with a metal spoon. Cover and freeze for a further 1 ½ hours. Whisk thoroughly again, then squeeze until firm. Transfer to the fridge 30 minutes before eating to soften slightly.

Orange Sorbet

(SERVING 6)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatine
• 175 ml/6 fl oz/ ¾ cup water
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
• Finely grated rind of ½ orange juice of 4 large oranges
• 15 ml/1 tbsp artificial sweetener granules
• 1 egg white

Put the gelatine in a bowl with 45 ml/3 tbsp of the water and leave to soften for 5 minutes. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until dissolved. Alternatively place briefly in the microwave. Stir in the remaining water, the lime and orange rind and the juices. Stir in the sweetener. Turn into a suitable freezer container with a lid, cover and freeze for 2 hours. Whisk thoroughly to break up all the ice crystals. Whisk the egg white until stiff and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Cover and freeze for a further 1 ½ hours. Whisk thoroughly again, then freeze until firm. Transfer to the fridge 30 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

Lemon Sorbet

(SERVES 6)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatine
• 175 ml/6 fl oz/ ¾ cup water
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
• Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• Juicy of 4 lemons
• 15 ml/1 tbsp artificial sweetener granules
• 1 egg white

Mix the gelatine with 45 ml/3 tbsp of the water and leave to soften for 5 minutes. Stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until dissolved. Alternatively, place briefly in the microwave. Stir in the remaining water, the lime and lemon rind and the juices. Stir in the sweetener. Taste and add a little more sweetener if liked (it should taste sweet but tangy). Turn into a suitable freezing container with a lid, cover and freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and whisk thoroughly to break up all the ice crystals. Whisk the egg white until stiff and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Cover and freeze for a further 1 ½ hours. Whisk thoroughly again, then freeze until firm. Transfer the sorbet to the fridge about 30 minutes before eating to soften slightly.

Minted Melon and Kiwi Fruit Salad

(SERVES 4)

• 1 small honeydew melon
• 4 kiwi fruit, peeled
• 200 ml/7 oz/scant 1 cup apple juice
• 2 mint sprigs
• A few tiny mint sprigs

Halve the lemon and scoop out the fruit using a melon baller, or peel and cut into dice. Place in a bowl. Slice two of the kiwi fruit and place in a bowl with the lemon. Puree the remaining kiwis with the apple juice and mint. Pour through a sieve (strainer) over the bowl of fruit to remove the seeds and any mint stalks. Chill for at least 1 hour before decorating with mint sprigs and serving.

Lover`s Kiss

(SERVES 4)

• 2 passion fruit
• 225 g/8 oz/1 cup very low-fat quark
• 30 ml/2 tbsp pure orange juice
• Artificial sweetener granules
• A squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• 2 egg whites

Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the fleshy seeds and rub through a sieve (strainer) over a bowl to remove the seeds. Stir in the quark, orange juice and sweetener to taste. Sharpen with lemon juice, if necessary. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Spoon into four wine goblets. Chill. The mixture should separate slightly.

Peach Cheese Melba

(SERVES 2)

• 2 large ripe peaches
• 60 ml/4 tbsp very low-fat cheese
• Artificial sweetener granules
• Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
• 100 g/4 oz raspberries

Skin the peaches, halve the remove the stone (pits). Mash the cheese with sweetener to taste and the orange rind. Spoon the cheese on to each peach half and place each in a shallow glass dish. Puree the raspberries with the orange juice. Pass through the sieve (strainer) to remove the seeds. Taste and sweeten slightly if necessary. Spoon over the peaches.

Lemon Velvet

(SERVES 4)

• 10 ml/2 tsp gelatin
• 300 ml/ ½ pt/ 1 ¼ cups pure pineapple juice
• 1 lemon
• 150 ml/ 1 ¼ pt/2/3 cup low-fat whipping cream, whipped
• 4 tiny mint sprigs

Dissolve the gelatine in a little of the pineapple juice according to the packet directions. Stir in the remaining juice. Grate the lemon rind and add juice. Grate the lemon rind and add. Squeeze the juice. Add as much as you like to give a good lemony flavor but not too sour. Chill until the consistency off egg white. Gradually whisk into the whipped cream. Transfer to four small serving dishes and chill until set. Decorate each with mint a sprig.

Raspberry Mousse

(SERVES 4)

Prepare as for St Clement`s Mousse but use sugar-free raspberry jelly (jello) instead of lemon and a can of raspberries in natural juice instead of mandarins. Reserve four raspberries for decoration, drained on kitchen paper before topping the desserts.

St Clement`s Mousse

(SERVES 4)

• 1 packet sugar-free lemon jelly (jello)
• 150 ml/ ¼ pt/2/3 cup boiling water
• 300 g/ 1 1oz/1 small can mandarin oranges in natural juice, drained, reserving the juice
• 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice
• 175 g/6 oz/1 small can low-fat evaporated milk, chilled
• 60 ml/4 tbsp very low-fat crème fraiche
• 4 tiny mint sprigs

Dissolve the jelly in the boiling water. Stir in the mandarin orange juice and lemon juice and leave until cold and consistency of egg white. Meanwhile, whisk the evaporated milk until thick and fluffy. Fold in the jelly mixture and add most of the fruit (reserving four good segments for decoration). Spoon into glasses and chill until set. Spread the crème fraiche over and decorate with the reserved mandarin segments and tiny mint sprigs.

Strawberries Romanoff

(SERVES 4)

• 350 g/12 oz strawberries, sliced
• A pinch of artificial sweetener granules
• 30 ml/2 tbsp orange or strawberry liqueur
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Put the strawberries in a glass serving dish. Sprinkle with the sweetener and add the liqueur, orange rind and juice. Toss gently, then leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours, before serving.

Pear and Passion Fruit Dessert

(SERVES 4)

• 2 ripe pears
• 4 passion fruit
• 300 ml/ ½ t/1 ¼ cups cider
• 5 ml/1 tsp artificial sweetener granules
• 20 ml/4 tsp arrowroot
• 30 ml/2 tbsp water
• Grated rind and juice of 1 lime

Peel, halve and core the pears and place in four glass dishes. Halve the passion fruit and scoop the pulp into a small bowl. Put the cider in a saucepan with the sweetener. Bring to the boil. Blend the arrowroot with the water and stir into the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until thickened and clear. Stir in the passion fruit pulp. Add the lime and rind and juice. Taste and add a little more sweetener, if necessary. Pour over the spears and leave to cool. Chill until ready to serve.

Apple and Raspberry Kissel

(SERVES 4)

Prepare as for Apple and Black current Kissel but substitute raspberries for the blackcurrants and flavour with 5 ml/1 tsp finely grated lemon rind instead of the cinnamon.

Apple and Blackcurrant Kissel

(SERVES 4)

• 2 large cooking (tart) apples, sliced
• 100 g/4 oz blackcurrants
• 10 ml/2 tsp artificial sweetener granules
• 75 ml/5 tbsp port
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 10 ml/2 tsp arrowroot
• 15 ml/1 tbsp water

Put the apples and blackcurrants in a saucepan with the sweetener and the port. Add the cinnamon stick. Cover and cook gently until the fruit is tender, stirring occasionally. Discard the cinnamon stick and puree the fruit in a blender or food processor. Return to the saucepan. Blend the arrowroot with the water and stir in the puree. Bring to the boil and cook, stirring, until thickened. Cool, then spoon into four individual glasses and chill until ready to serve.

Rosy Nectarines

(SERVES 4)

• 300 g/1 1 oz/1 small can strawberries in natural juice, drained, reserving the juice
• Artificial sweetener granules
• 2 ripe peaches
• 60 ml/4 tbsp very low-fat fromage frais

Puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor or pass through a sieve (strainer). Thin with a little of the reserved juice if necessary and sweeten to taste, if necessary. Plunge the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds. Rinse under the cold tap, then remove the skins. Halve and remove the stones (pits). Sweeten the fromage frais slightly and spoon into the base of four wine goblets. Top each with a peach half, cut side down. Spoon the strawberry puree over and chill, if time, before serving.

Sparkling Strawberry Cocktail

(SERVES 4)

Prepare as for Sparkling Pear Cocktail but use 75 g/3 oz sliced strawberries per person and substitute kirsch for the brandy.