Sweet Suite

All I ask out of a holiday dessert is that it be delicious enough and special enough to make every last bite a justifiable offense against my diet. These three desserts qualify--I’ll eat any one of them with delight and accept the rather weighty consequences that are apt to follow.

Meltingly delicious and highly styled, they’re perfect choices for any holiday festivities you may have planned. And because last-minute work doesn’t fit into a hectic holiday schedule, each one can be made in advance. Fresh berries tossed in a little Framboise or sugar combined with finely grated orange zest are good complements to these desserts, offering an option to those who have to resist rich pleasures.

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Tangerine mousse is a lovely way to end a meal. It has a clean, refreshing taste and a light texture and finish. Tangerines have such a brief season that you’ll be glad to know you can make the mousse with navel or mandarin oranges, even clementines or blood oranges.

TANGERINE MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup whipping cream

Raspberry Sauce

Put 3 tablespoons lemon juice in small dish and sprinkle gelatin over entire surface. Let stand until gelatin is moistened. Dissolve gelatin by putting dish in larger bowl of hot water or by microwaving on MEDIUM power until gelatin is dissolved with no graininess, about 1 minute 10 seconds.

Put remaining lemon juice, tangerine juice, egg yolks and sugar in top of double boiler placed on counter, not over boiling water. Use whisk to mix until light and fluffy. Mix in dissolved gelatin mixture.

Place over (not in) gently simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate just until thickens and begins to set, stirring several times. Watch closely so gelatin does not set completely.

Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Whip cream until soft peaks hold.

Whisk gelatin mixture until smooth and free of lumps. Blend in 1/4 of egg whites, then gently, but thoroughly fold in remaining whites. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer to 4- to 5-cup souffle dish. Cover and refrigerate until set or up to 2 days before serving.

To serve, spread pool of Raspberry Sauce over bottom of individual serving plates. Rinse oval or round ice cream scoop in warm water and scoop mousse onto sauce, using 3 scoops per serving. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

285 calories; 44 mg sodium; 147 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.06 grams fiber.

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Raspberry Sauce

1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries, preferably in light syrup, thawed

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Kirsch or Framboise, optional

Combine raspberries with syrup and powdered sugar in blender or food processor and puree. Press through fine mesh strainer to remove seeds. Add Kirsch and stir to combine.

Can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen 3 months. Stir well before using. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

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This is an elegant dessert. The white chocolate ganache can be made up to two days in advance but must be made at least three hours before the cake is baked so it is thoroughly chilled before using. Once the flourless cake is baked, it must be filled about 45 minutes after it comes out of the oven, so plan on this specific sequence.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE ROLL FILLED WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

2/3 cup granulated sugar

6 large eggs, separated

Dash salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Powdered sugar

White Chocolate Ganache

Raspberry Sauce

Place sugar, egg yolks, salt and vanilla in blender or work bowl and process about 2 minutes or beat with mixer until light and fluffy. Add cocoa and blend thoroughly. Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Thoroughly mix 1/4 of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then gently, but thoroughly, fold in remaining whites.

Transfer batter to buttered and floured 10 1/2x15 1/2-inch jelly roll pan lined with buttered and floured wax paper and spread in even layer. Bake at 350 degrees until cake tester inserted in center comes out moist but not wet, about 10 minutes. Do not overbake.

Sift light coating of powdered sugar over surface of cake. Cover with piece of wax paper that extends 2 inches beyond ends of pan. Place large cooling rack on top and carefully invert cake onto rack. Remove pan. Let cake cool to room temperature, but no longer than 1 hour before filling. Peel away top piece of wax paper.

Spread White Chocolate Ganache in even layer over cake. Starting at short end, roll up as jelly roll. Use bottom piece of wax paper to help you roll cake, carefully peeling away as you fold. Don’t worry if surface cracks as you roll cake. Cover with piece of plastic wrap. Working through plastic wrap, smooth shape of roll, compress any cracks and straighten ends. Using wax paper to lift roll, transfer to serving plate, placing seam-side down. Let set up in refrigerator at least 1 hour or up to 2 days, covered airtight.

To serve, sift generous coating of powdered sugar over entire roll. Slice with serrated knife. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons Raspberry Sauce on serving plate and top with cake. Makes 10 servings.

Each serving, without Raspberry Sauce, contains about:

307 calories; 94 mg sodium; 170 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.19 gram fiber.

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White Chocolate Ganache

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces white chocolate

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Heat whipping cream and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water until butter melts.

Cut white chocolate into small pieces and add to warm cream. Continue to cook, stirring often, just until white chocolate melts. Do not let mixture become too hot.

Transfer to 1-quart mixing bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

With electric mixer, beat ganache until it just begins to hold soft peaks. Do not overbeat. Mix in vanilla and lemon juice.

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The holiday flavors of eggnog--brandy, vanilla and lots of freshly grated nutmeg--are used in the custard. Then, in another seasonal enhancement, cranberry-maple sauce shimmers over the top.

EGGNOG BREAD PUDDING WITH WARM CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 3/4 cups half and half cream

3 tablespoons brandy

2 tablespoons vanilla

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Dash salt

6 slices dry day-old cinnamon-raisin bread

Cranberry-Maple Sauce

Whisk eggs, egg yolk (save egg with for another use) and sugar in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in butter, half and half, brandy, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.

Cut bread into quarters and place in buttered 6-cup souffle dish. Pour custard mixture over bread. Press bread down to thoroughly soaked. Let stand 15 minutes before baking. Gently press bread down again into custard.

Put souffle dish into baking pan large enough to hold souffle dish and place on oven rack. Pour boiling water into baking pan so that it comes halfway up sides of souffle dish. Bake at 350 degrees until custard is set in center, about 1 hour.

To test for doneness, insert knife into center. Custard should be softly set. It will continue to cook after removed from oven. Remove from water bath.

Serve hot, lukewarm or at room temperature. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days. To reheat, make several slits to let steam escape, then cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Or reheat in microwave oven on MEDIUM (50% power). Serve with warm Cranberry-Maple Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

394 calories; 147 mg sodium; 161 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.39 gram fiber.

Note : Bread should be dry. If bread is fresh, spread slices on baking sheet. Bake at 150 degrees, turning once, until dry, about 30 minutes.

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Cranberry-Maple Sauce

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups cranberries

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon

Bring maple syrup and sugar to boil in 8-inch skillet and boil 5 minutes. Add cranberries and cook until they begin to pop, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Cut butter into 3 pieces. Whisk in, 1 piece at time, waiting until each has melted before adding another. Remove from heat and add bourbon.

Sauce can be served immediately or refrigerated up to 1 week. Reheat gently and thin with 2 to 3 tablespoons water before serving, if necessary. Makes 2 cups.