Signature Desserts

Calorie-saving Chocolate Syrup and Cake

From Chef Steven Richards

Stephen Richards, chef and author of Delicious Meets Nutritious, has created these recipes using Xagave instead of sugar. They’re lower in calories—and no one will taste the difference.

Xagave Chocolate Syrup

1 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water
1 cup Xagave
2 tbsp. powdered milk (optional)
1-2 tbsp. Ultra Gel (optional)

Mix the cocoa, vanilla and hot water with electric beater until smooth. Add Xagave and blend.

Tips: Use in chocolate milk, hot chocolate or drizzle over fruit and ice cream. For a thicker milk-chocolate syrup, add powdered milk and Ultra Gel.

Serving size 1 tbsp.

Chocolate Stuffed Strawberries

You have heard of chocolate dipped strawberries. This is the reverse, and kids love to make them.

Remove stems to create a hole in the strawberry. Fill the strawberry with Xagave Chocolate Syrup.

Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Icing

The traditional recipe for this chocolate cake calls for 2 cups of sugar for the cake. This recipe calls for only 11/3 cups of Xagave. The traditional icing recipe has 3 cups of powdered sugar while our recipe uses only 2/3 cup of Xagave, which saves1200 calories over the traditional sugar recipe.

Preheat oven to 325°F.Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients, mixing the hot water in last. Beat with hand mixer for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin. Pour batter into either two 9 inch rounds or one 9 x 13 inch pan (or make cupcakes, filling each about 2/3 full). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes before icing.

Makes 16 servings

Dry Ingredients:
13/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup Xagave
2 eggs
1 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water (boiling)

Chocolate Icing:
Mix cream and cocoa with hand mixer or in a blender until smooth and creamy. Add butter and Xagave and mix for another minute or two until smooth. Refrigerate icing while cake is cooking and cooling. Spread icing on cake after cake has cooled.

2/3 cup Xagave
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup cream, milk or hot water
(use cream for more of a milk-chocolate flavor)
2/3 cup cocoa

Spread icing on cake after cake has cooled.