Guilt-Free Chocolate Gems

I love chocolate, especially on certain weeks of the month; unfortunately chocolate does not reciprocate that love. Chocolate and I have a love/hate relationship. I love it but my hips hate it. I am on a perpetual diet, though I try and tell myself that I am making a “lifestyle change”.

Either way you slice it, I am always looking for a way to cheat the system. You know, great tasting chocolate that will not cause me to weigh 300 pounds. So, I search the Internet and every foodie magazine that I can get my chocolate jonesing hands on for that mythical recipe that will provide me with the sweet satisfaction of chocolate and not all of the carbohydrates and calories found in most traditional recipes.

I found this recipe for Flourless Espress0 Choco Gems on Prevention.com and I think I may have just found the holy grail of low-calorie, high satisfaction desserts, or maybe I am just so desperate for chocolate this week that this recipe is definitely close enough. The best part they are only 100 calories per serving.

PREP TIME: 10 min TOTAL TIME: 40 min YIELD: 24

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Coat 2 gem tins (12-cup mini muffin pans) with cooking spray.
2. Combine chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted. Off heat, whisk in granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Whisk in eggs until well combined. Sift cocoa over top and whisk until smooth.
3. Divide batter among prepared pans and bake until cakes have risen, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Carefully remove cakes and cool on rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar
4. Optional: Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

What’s your favorite low-calorie, great tasting recipe?

Photo Source: Mike Saechang

via Prevention.com

Tagged as: Flourless Espresso Choco Gems, low cal chocolate treats