Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies

CookingLight.com users agree: Sweets are a top craving, and chocolate is in a class by itself. These rich brownies are just the ticket. Lining the pan with parchment paper helps prevent the moist brownies from sticking.

Yield 16 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cherry preserves
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg white
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine cherry preserves, 1/3 cup water, and butter in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Add preserves mixture to flour mixture; stir well. Add egg and egg white; stir until smooth. Stir in semisweet chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack. Garnish with powdered sugar, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 155 (31% from fat)

Fat: 5.4g (sat 3g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.2g)

Protein: 2.2g

Carbohydrate: 25.8g

Fiber: 1.1g

Cholesterol: 23mg

Iron: 1mg

Sodium: 168mg

Calcium: 10mg

Jeanne Thiel Kelley, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

Chocolate-Cherry Chunk Meringues

The edges of the meringues are crisp, but the center pieces are slightly soft. Don't chop the chocolate too finely or it will completely melt in the meringue.

Yield 35 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)
Ingredients

* 4 large egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/2 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
* 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200º.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 14 x 10-inch rectangle on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high, and gradually add granulated sugar and then powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Add extract; beat just until blended. Fold in cherries and chocolate. Spread batter onto drawn rectangle using the back of a spoon. Score rectangle into 2-inch squares using the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake at 200º for 2 hours. Turn oven off, and cool meringue in closed oven 1 1/2 hours or until dry. Carefully remove meringue from paper. Break into (2-inch) squares.

Nutritional Information

Calories:42 (30% from fat)
Fat:1.4g (sat 0.8g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.0g)
Protein:0.7g
Carbohydrate:7.6g
Fiber:0.4g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Iron:0.2mg
Sodium:7mg
Calcium:3mg

Wendy Kalen, Cooking Light, MAY 2004

Cherry-Pistachio Wedding Cookies

The combination of tender cake flour and sturdy all-purpose flour produces delicate cookies. The dough will be crumbly after you've combined all the ingredients but will hold its shape once molded in a tablespoon measure and turned onto a baking sheet. You may need to add one to two additional teaspoons of ice water to the dough to achieve the crumbly consistency.

Yield 32 servings (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups cake flour (about 6 ounces)
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)
* 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
* 3 teaspoons ice water
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
* 1/4 cup finely chopped salted dry-roasted pistachios
* Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. With food processor on, add butter through food chute a few pieces at a time; process 1 minute or until mixture is the texture of sand.

3. Combine 3 teaspoons ice water and vanilla in a small bowl. With food processor on, slowly add ice water mixture through food chute; process 1 minute or until very well combined. (Mixture will remain crumbly.) Add cherries and pistachios; pulse 10 times or just until combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Gently press mixture into a level tablespoon; pack lightly with the heel of your hand. Turn out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining dough to form 32 cookies.

4. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or just until bottoms are golden. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes on baking sheet.

5. Place remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add cooled cookies; toss gently to coat with powdered sugar. Transfer cookies to wax paper to cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Calories:86 (36% from fat)
Fat:3.4g (sat 1.9g,mono 1g,poly 0.3g)
Protein:1g
Carbohydrate:12.9g
Fiber:0.8g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Iron: 0.6mg
Sodium: 43mg
Calcium: 4mg

MaryAnne Gragg, Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008