Cherry DeLIGHT

August 23, 2009 by  
Filed under Recipes, School's Out

An A+ Dessert

A reader asked me why I only post healthful (not healthy) recipes so I decided to post a more decadent dessert that only seems un GG-like.  This is actually fat free despite its creamy richness.  So go ahead, we all need to splurge once in a while.  Everything in moderation . . . including moderation.  🙂

I love all things cherry – I eat marochino cherries out of the jar, cherry lifesavers are my favorite candy, and I pop bing cherries like popcorn.  My mother’s Cherry Delight dessert may have been the dish that started it all.  I fondly recall racing my dad to the fridge for the last piece of this no-bake treat.  I was working out yesterday, of all things, and was trying to think of a way to give this dish an “eat clean” makeover.  I had a taste for it and can’t remember the last time I enjoyed it.

Using fresh cherries rather than canned cherry pie filling cuts out the sugar.

Using fresh cherries rather than canned cherry pie filling cuts out the sugar.

GG sits before you now exclaiming that the experiment worked.  I have to say it tastes more sinful than it is.  This is a great warm weather dessert that’s always been a crowd pleaser in our family.  If you like sweet, if you like creamy, and if you like cherry, check this out.  It’s real simple and quick to whip up (unless you’re feeling the urge to make your own angel food cake, like I did):

Cherry DeLIGHT
  • Angel Food cake, cut into small cubes (homemade or store bought) ****Don’t forget, there are no egg yolks in angel food cake.  That means no fat!!***
  • 2 packages sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix (original recipe calls for regular vanilla instant pudding mix)
  • approx. 2 cups of pitted Bing cherries (original recipe calls for 2 cans of cherry pie filling) **my favorite cherry pitter is from Williams Sonoma
  • 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (original recipe calls for one pint sour cream)

In a 9 x 13 pan, spread half of the cubed Angel Food cake on the bottom.  Make the pudding according to package directions (use skim milk).  Mix the yogurt with the pudding.  Layer half of the pudding mixture on top of the broken cake in the pan.  Place the second half of the cake cubes on top of the pudding.  Layer the second half of the pudding on top of that.  Place the cherries on top.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  That’s it!

There you have it ~ a family recipe made over into a non-fat decadent dessert!!!!

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