Quick, Easy & Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts
Whilst it's a bigger celebration over the pond, in the USA, Thanksgiving is still celebrated in the UK by some, with an estimated 13 Million UK adults celebrating the festivities in November 2021, with these numbers projected to grow again for this year.
Thanksgiving dinners are a lot like a traditional Christmas dinner, or Sunday dinner, with a few added extras and changes, most notably sweet potatoes, Turkey & Stuffing and green beans. But would it even be the holiday season without your favourite traditional desserts?
There are a few classic staple desserts that we think of when we talk about thanksgiving sweet treats. Whether you've opted for the traditional Pumpkin pie with a rich buttery crust, or a classic pecan crumble.
We thought we'd mix it up and talk about the lesser-known holiday desserts, that are not only easy to make but easy on the bank accounts too.
Banoffee Pie
It was first created in the 1970s, but Banoffee pies were originally called “Banana Cream Pies”. Some versions of the recipes include both cocoa powder and espresso powder. Banoffee pie is a British dessert pie made from bananas, cream and a thick caramel sauce, combined either on a buttery biscuit base or one made from crumbled biscuits and butter. But we've devised the perfect healthier alternative recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 394g Skinny Caramel Sauce
- 300ml double cream
- 1 Smooth Chocaholic Bar (Grated, Optional)
For the pastry
- 100g butter, chilled (plus extra for greasing)
- 200g plain flour
- 1 medium egg, separated
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
Method:
-
First, make the dough for the pie crust. Put the butter and the flour in a food processor and blend them together until they resemble fresh bread crumbs. Add the yolks of the eggs and the granulated white sugars one by one, pulsing the blender after each addition. Stop adding water as soon as the dough starts to come together as one piece.
- STEP 2
After removing the dough from the processor, continue to knead it gently with your hands. After you've mixed up your dough, wrap it in plastic wrap (clingfilm) or alternatively use a plastic tupperwear container and put it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- STEP 3
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/180°C/fan 160°C). Grease a 23cm loose bottom fluted tart tin. Roll out the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use it to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Cut off about half a centimeter (cm) of pastry from the edge of the tin using a pair of sharp scissors.
- STEP 4
Line the bottom of the pan with a sheet of parchment paper and weight it down with some uncooked rice or baking beads. Bake for 15 mins then remove the paper and beans and brush the pastry surface with beaten egg white. Bake again for another 15-20 minutes or until crispy, golden and fully baked. Leave to cool completely before proceeding to the next steps.
- STEP 5
Spread half of the low sugar caramel on the base of the pastry case and layer the sliced bananas on top. Cover with the rest of the caramel and place in the fridge to set.
- STEP 6
Whip the heavy cream until thick and spoon it over the top of the tart. We like to top our pies with some additional banana slices & some finely grated chocolate, for this we use our low-cal, low-sugar smooth bar. Enjoy your banana cream pie, or banoffee pie with a festive hot drink, or your favourite mulled wine.
Classic Apple Pie
Another classic Thanksgiving dessert, is a homemade apple pie, accompanied typically with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This simple dessert recipe can be used for many special occasions, from thanksgiving to birthdays, it's quick and easy and filled with tasty caramel apple & cinnamon flavours that embody the seasonal spices, paired beautifully with some cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients:
- 1kg Bramley apples
- 140g golden caster sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 50ml Cinnamon Syrup
- 3 tbsp flour
- 225g butter, room temperature
- 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra
- 2 eggs
- 350g plain flour, preferably organic
- Ice Cream, or a dollop of cream to serve.
Method:
-
Place a layer of paper towels onto a large baking pan. Cut the apples into quarters, cores, peels, and slices. Lay them out evenly on the baking sheet (or tray). Put paper towels on top of the apples to absorb the moisture and set aside while you make and chill the pastry.
- STEP 2
To mix the butter and the sugars together, beat them together in a large mixing bowl. Break in a whole egg and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for less than one minute – it will resemble scrambled eggs. Add the flour gradually, using a wooden spoon, a quarter at a time, until the mixture begins to clumps up, then gather it into a ball with your hands. Roll out the dough into a circle, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Now mix the sugar, the cinnamon, cinnamon syrup and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to take the apples later.
- STEP 3
After the pastry has chilled, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Roll out half the dough into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Leave a slight overhang. Cover the bottom and sides of a pie dish with the rolled-out dough. Roll the remaining third into a circle about 28 centimeters in diameter. Put the apples in a bowl with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Once the apples are covered in the mixture, place into the pastry lined dish and top with the remaining pastry.
- STEP 4
Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and make 5 little slashes on top of the lid for the steam to escape.
- STEP 5
Brush it all with an egg white and then dust with some caster sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden, then let it cool for 10 minutes before removing from the oven. Serve with soft whipped cream, ice cream or pouring double cream.
Chocolate S'mores Dip
Finally, the easiest of our dishes to make, saving your time amongst baking your Thanksgiving dinner and probably the most enjoyable for little ones and chocolate lovers around the dinner table. Is our S'mores Dip Pot.
Involving all things sweet, this dessert can be completely customised to include yuor favourite sweet treats around the holiday season, from apple crisps, to candy corns and peanut butter.
The smores dip is a base of your favourite Chocolate spread or melted chocolate, topped with marshmallows, grilled till their gooey and soft, sprinkled with crunchy toppings such as chocolate malt balls or cookie dough pieces.
For this recipe we use our Chocaholic Spreads.
They come in a range of family-favourite flavours from Chocolate Hazelnut, White Chocolate & Raspberry and even Chocolate orange.
Method:
Taking an overnproof dish, pour out your desired Chocaholic Spread Mix, and whisk through 100ml of milk, top with large American-style marshmallows and bake this classic dessert for 5 minutes under the grill.
Take Designed to be indulged by all those with a sweet tooth, you can dip your favourite fruits, biscuits & more into the smores dip.
What are the most popular Thanksgiving Desserts?
There are loads of popular Thanksgiving desserts, from chocolate cakes to creamy desserts such as our classic bannoffee pie, however. wewould probably argue that the most popular thanksgiving dessert would be the traditional Pumpkin Pie, with a flaky pie crust, the pumpkin pie embodies all things festive about Thanksgiving.
But, if you're in the mood for something a little different this year, then check out our 3 alternative recipes that will inspire the whole family.
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