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Um, yes please!

We have nothing bad to say about chocolate, as long as it’s the good stuff. So indulge in guilt-free treats with these low-fat recipes that will satisfy your sweetest craving…

Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding with Chocolate

Ingredients
1 six-pack hot cross buns, halved
2 cups fat-free milk
3 eggs
3 tbsp cocoa
3 tbsp artificial sweetener
100g dark chocolate grated (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 180*C. Lightly butter an ovenproof dish and line it with the buns in rows (in one or two layers, depending on size of dish). Mix cocoa powder with a little of the milk to make a paste; add this to milk and eggs, and beat gently to blend. Pour mixture over buns and allow them to soak up the liquid. Cover with grated chocolate. Place in the preheated oven until custard has just set (about 20 to 30 minutes).

SERVES 4. Per 256g serving: 1 8394kJ, 17g fat (9g sat), 210mg sodium, 59g carbs, 4g fibre, 33g sugars, 15g protein

Chocolate Crunchies

Ingredients
360g butter/margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups cake flour
1½ cups oats
½ cup oat bran
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups desiccated coconut
2 tbsp cocoa powder
Salt

For the icing:
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tbsp boiling water
5ml vanilla essence

Method
Preheat oven to 180*C. Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl, add sugar and sift in flour. Add oats, baking powder, coconut, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Press into a lightly greased 20x22cm baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the baking tray. Mix all icing ingredients until smooth and spread thinly over cooled crunchies. Place tray in the fridge to set, then cut into squares.

MAKES 20. Per 72g serving: 1 380kJ, 17g fat (11g sat), 85g sodium, 44g carbs, 2g fibre, 23g sugars, 4g protein

Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Berries

Ingredients
1 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp cinnamon
10 egg whites, at room temp
1¼ml cream of tartar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup assorted berries
Icing sugar to dust

Method
Preheat oven to 180*C. Sift flour, half the sugar, cocoa and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Separate eggs and put whites into another bowl. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining half a cup of sugar and vanilla extract. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until just blended. Spoon mixture into a 20cm tube pan, spreading evenly and deflating any large air pockets with a knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool upside down on a bottleneck for 40 minutes. Turn right side up and run a knife around the rim to loosen cake from the sides. Remove from the pan and place on a rack to cool completely. To serve, top with berries and dust with icing sugar.

SERVES 8. Per 106g serving: 836kJ, 0.5g fat (0g sat), 70mg sodium, 43g carbs, 2g fibre, 27g sugars, 7g protein

How often should you eat dessert if you’re trying to lose weight? Plus: 3 protein-packed breakfasts that totally taste like dessert.