Oh, honey, you won’t believe the sugar free strawberry desserts I been makin’. My old man, bless his heart, he can’t have sugar no more. Doctor’s orders. So, I had to get creative in the kitchen, you know? These ain’t your fancy city folk desserts. Nope. These are good, simple, country-style sweets. Just like grandma used to make, but without all that sugar that’s no good for you.
First off, lemme tell ya about this strawberry icebox cake. Lord, it’s easy. You just layer some graham crackers, you know, the kind you use for s’mores. Then you whip up some cream, I use the heavy kind, the one that’s thick like butter almost. Mix that with some of that sugar substitute, the powdery kind. And then, you get your strawberries, nice and ripe, slice ’em up thin. Layer them on the cream. Repeat it all over. Graham crackers, cream, strawberries. Stick it in the icebox, which is what we used to call the refrigerator, for a few hours. It’s like magic. The crackers get soft, the cream sets up, and the strawberries, oh, they just melt in your mouth. No sugar, but it’s sweet as can be. That’s a good dessert for summer. My grandkids love it. They don’t even know there’s no sugar in there.
Then there’s this other thing, I call it a no-bake strawberry cheesecake. Now, I ain’t never been one for them fancy cheesecakes, but this one’s different. You make a crust outta them same graham crackers, crushed up fine. Mix it with some melted butter, the unsalted kind. Press it in a pan. Then, you mix up some cream cheese, the kind in the block, softened up, you know? Whip that with some more of that sugar substitute and some vanilla, the real stuff, not that imitation junk. Fold in some whipped cream, then spread it on your crust. Top it with sliced strawberries, all pretty-like. Chill it in the icebox. It’s creamy, it’s sweet, it’s got that tang from the cream cheese. It’s right good, I tell ya. No sugar, just some sweetener and strawberries, and it is a good dessert.
Another one I made, it’s kinda like a fancy one, called Strawberry Pavlova Cake. Never heard of such a thing before but tried to make a no sugar version. It looks all puffy and white, like a cloud. You gotta beat egg whites, you know, till they’re stiff like a starched shirt. Add in that sugar substitute, slow like, while you’re beatin’. Then you bake it low and slow in the oven, till it’s all crispy on the outside, but still soft on the inside. Top it with whipped cream and a whole mess of strawberries. It’s light, it’s airy, it’s somethin’ else. You wouldn’t think somethin’ so fancy could be made without sugar, but it can. It’s a good choice when you want a dessert that is easy to make, no need for fancy tools.
- Strawberry Pistachio Tart: I ain’t never used pistachios before, green nuts, but they are sure good. They are good with strawberries, just trust me on this. This one’s a bit more work, but worth it. You make a crust, like the cheesecake, but you add in some of them chopped up pistachios. Then you make a filling with cream cheese, that sugar substitute, and some lemon zest, you know, the yellow part of the lemon skin. Spread that in the crust, top it with strawberries and more pistachios. It’s crunchy, it’s creamy, it’s got that tang from the lemon. It is a good summer dessert.
- Then there is Strawberry Charlotte Cake. That name always makes me think of my cousin. Another cake that don’t need sugar. You use them ladyfingers, the long skinny cookies. Dip ’em in some strawberry juice, mixed with a little water and that sugar substitute. Line a pan with ’em. Then you make a mousse, kinda like the cheesecake filling, but with gelatin, to make it set up firm. Pour that over the ladyfingers, top with strawberries. Chill it good. It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s got that strawberry flavor all through it. This one needs to be made ahead.
- Strawberry Granita is a simple one. You ever had one of them shaved ice things? This is like that, but better. You take your strawberries, blend ’em up with some water and that sugar substitute. Pour it in a pan, freeze it. Then you take a fork and scrape it up, so it’s all icy and fluffy. It’s like eatin’ a strawberry snow cone, but way more flavorful. It’s so easy, even I can make it without messin’ up.
These sugar free strawberry desserts, they ain’t hard to make. Just gotta use a little bit of this, a little bit of that. You can find that sugar substitute at any grocery store. Just make sure you get the right kind for bakin’. They got all different kinds now. And strawberries, well, they’re the star of the show. Make sure you get good, ripe ones. They are what make these desserts so good, even without the real sugar. These are all good and easy desserts for summer or any other time of year. You can use frozen strawberries too, just let them thaw first, but fresh ones are always better. You can make them for your family, your friends, even your old man who can’t have sugar no more. They’ll all love ’em, I guarantee it. They might not even notice that there is no sugar. They are that good. These recipes, they’re keepers. I wrote ’em all down in my little recipe book, the one I keep tucked away in the kitchen drawer. You should write ’em down too. You never know when you might need a good sugar free dessert recipe. And trust me, these are good ones.
