Everyone is always on the hunt for a dessert that is not only delicious but healthy as well. One that definitely fits into this category is the citrus meringue crush recipe. It only calls for low fat yogurt, grated lemon rind, orange liqueur, and a few other ingredients.

It is incredibly easy to make, and the best thing is that it can be served either casually at a family dinner or while entertaining when guests are over. It is truly a gourmet dessert, one that can be enjoyed any time of the day, and which is so easy to make that is sure to become a family staple.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 8 ready made meringue nests
• 300 ml low fat natural yogurt
• ½ tsp finely grated orange rind
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon rind
• ½ tsp finely grated lime rind
• 2 tbsp orange liqueur or unsweetened orange juice
• sliced kumquat and grated lime rind, to decorate

Sauce

• 60 g kumquats
• 8 tbsp unsweetened orange juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 to 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water

1. Place the meringues in a clean plastic bag, seal the bag and using a rolling pin, crush the meringues into small pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Stir the yogurt, grated citrus rinds and the liqueur into the crushed meringue. Spoon the mixture into 4 mini basins, smooth over the tops and freeze for 1½ to 2 hours until firm.
3. To make the sauce, thinly slice the kumquats and place them in a small pan with the fruit juices and water. Bring gently to the boil and then simmer over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the kumquats have just softened.
4. Sweeten with sugar to taste, stir in the cornflour mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour into a small bowl, cover the surface with a layer of cling film and leave to cool. The film will help prevent a skin forming. Leave to chill.
5. To serve, dip the meringue basins in hot water for 5 seconds or until they loosen, and turn on to serving plates. Spoon over a little sauce, decorate with slices of kumquat and lime rind and serve immediately.

For a quick and delicious dessert recipe that is also healthy, try the chocolate cheese pots recipe. It calls for low fat yogurt, vanilla, egg whites, and other nutritious ingredients. The only ingredients that are not particularly healthy are the icing sugar and chocolate powder, but we all need a break sometimes.

This is an ideal dessert to serve to guests when entertaining, and goes perfectly with a glass of white wine or champagne. Of course the kids are going to love this recipe but so will all the grownups and it is definitely one that will become a favorite after the first time it is made.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 300 ml low fat natural fromage frais
• 150 ml low fat natural yogurt
• 25 g icing sugar
• 4 tsp low fat drinking chocolate powder
• 4 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp dark rum (optional)
• 2 medium egg whites
• 4 chocolate cake decorations
• pieces of kiwi, orange, banana, strawberry and raspberry, to serve

1. Combine the fromage frais and yogurt in a mixing bowl. Sift in the sugar, drinking chocolate and cocoa powder and mix well. Add the vanilla essence and rum, if using.
2. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the fromage frais and chocolate mixture.
3. Spoon the fromage frais and chocolate mixture into 4 small china dessert pots and leave to chill for about 30 minutes. Decorate each chocolate cheese pot with a chocolate cake decoration.
4. Serve each chocolate cheese pot with an assortment of fresh fruit, such as pieces of kiwi, orange, banana, whole strawberries and raspberries.

“This chocolate mixture would make an excellent filling for a cheesecake. Make the base out of crushed Amaretti di Saronno biscuits and egg white, and set the filling with 2 tsp powdered gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water. Make sure you use biscuits made from apricot kernels, which are virtually fat free.”

Brown bread ice cream may seem a bit odd, but it is truly delicious. If you want to give your kids a tasty dessert that is also going to be healthy, then this recipe is ideal. All it calls for is breadcrumbs, walnuts, sugar, nutmeg, orange rind, yogurt, egg whites and some orange slices and mint leaves to decorate.

It is a delectable dish, one that is great for entertaining and serving to your guests, but also one that offers nutritional value, which is something that cannot be said for most other desserts.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 175 g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 25 g finely chopped walnuts
• 60 g carter sugar
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp finely grated orange rind
• 450 ml low fat natural unsweetened yogurt
• 2 large egg whites
• walnut halves, orange slices and mint leaves, to decorate

1. Preheat the grill to medium. Mix the breadcrumbs, walnuts and sugar together and spread over a sheet of foil in the grill pan. Grill, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until crisp and evenly browned. Take care that the sugar does not burn. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.



2. When cool, transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in the nutmeg, orange rind and yogurt. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into the breadcrumb mixture, using a metal spoon.
3. Spoon the mixture into 4 mini basins, smooth over the tops and freeze for 2 hours until firm.
4. To serve, hold the bases of the molds in hot water for a few seconds, then turn out on to serving plates. Serve immediately, decorate with walnut halves, orange slices and fresh mint leaves.

“If you don’t have mini basins, use ramekins or teacups, or if you prefer, use one large bowl. Alternatively, spoon the mixture into a large, freezing container to freeze and serve the ice cream in scoops”.