Favorite non butter-based desserts?

[ipsedixit]

What are your favorite desserts without (or with very very little) butter?

So, for example, a fruit tart would not count, but a pavlova would.

Similarly, a sponge cake or a meringue would be ok, but not a classic genoise.

I think mine would be, in no particular order, Tiramisu, Cheesecake, Mochi balls w/ Azuki beans, and Ice Cream.

You?

[H Manning]

Panna Cotta

[harryharry]

Curious why you posed this question - clearly it has nothing to do with dairy or fat, unless you've created the perfect vegan tiramisu....

[KaimukiMan]

the OP (like a relative of mine) doesn't like the flavor of butter.

[ipsedixit]

Thank you KMan.

[KaimukiMan]

sure thing. i've always loved butter, but i totally understand how someone wouldn't. the taste and mouth feel are very unique and i can easily see it being off-putting, and there are just too many fat options if there is one you don't like.

[BuildingMyBento]

Probably many things in Southeast Asia. Mango sticky rice. Fruit in general, and specifically. Cereal, even! Honey roasted legumes.

[Beach Chick]

Chocolate Pots de Creme

[chefathome]

Am making these this weekend. Love them. The recipe I use makes them incredibly silky and truffle-like.

[pine time]

Rasmalai

[John Francis]

Macedoine of fruit aka fruit cocktail. Doctor it with a little port or madeira.

Melons such as canteloupe and honeydew.

Jello.

Pudding, creme caramel, flan.

Ice cream, sherbet. Do a parfait.

[JungMann]

I never realized how many of my favorite dessert sneak in a little butter here and there: baklava, boondi ladoo, profiteroles.

If we're going to strictly define this as a butter-free sweet I would have for dessert and not just a snack, I'd have to go with flan, blancmange and sapin-sapin (coconut rice cakes).

[HillJ]

JungM, I didn't even list my ladoo love because of the ghee content!

[KaimukiMan]

ice cream, angel food cake, cheesecake, trifle, parfait

[KaimukiMan]

and i forgot one... banana lumpia (ala mode is good... LOL)

[HillJ]

Grilled fruit

Sorbet

Chocolate pudding

Baklava (I brush coconut oil btwn the layers)

Caramels

Dessert fondue

Baked apples

Fruit pie

...just to name a few.

[gordeaux]

Mango with sticky rice.

[DarthEater]

I've seen old fashion red velvet cake made with shortening topped with boiled frosting recipes.

[alkonost]

fresh figs baked with honey & cinnamon topped with goat cheese.

[magiesmom]

rice pudding
custardsin general
panna cotta
zabaglione
cheesecake

[prima]

Iles flottantes
Chocolate mousse
Charlotte Russe
Loukamades and other types of fried dough

[chefathome]

Lots!

Wine-Poached Pears

Eton Mess with raspberries

Zabaglione

Panna Cotta

Semi-freddo

Chocolate Pots de Creme

[chowser]

Many desserts that use butter can be done w/ lard and often is better--eg pie crusts, tarts, even chinese almond cookies. I love the flakiness of chinese almond cookies w/ lard. I love "puff" pastry w/ adzuki beans. Happy mouth cookies:

http://www.jenius.com.au/2009/09/smil...

It's debatable for me whether I prefer butter based or non-butter based desserts (ice cream, panna cotta, mochi, custard tarts, etc.)

[jeanmarieok]

I like a lard pie crust much better than a butter one!

[ipsedixit]

As do I, but it's usually 50/50 lard and shortening.

[critter101]

Old fashioned bread pudding. I made one last night with panettone and served it with fresh berries...yum.

[foodieX2]

I have never seen a bread pudding recipe that does not call for butter! Never mind the sauce that most include usually have a whole stick of the stuff. Care to share your recipe?

[ipsedixit]

Bread pudding does not have to be made with butter (in fact, I do it all the time), and it's probably better without it.

Bread pudding, at its core, is essentially some sort of bread or carbohydrate drenched in custard, and then baked in a water bath. And custard, traditionally, is just a combo of milk, eggs, and sugar.

Of course, you can dress up bread pudding in all sorts of fashion, with sauces and what-not, but bread pudding can absolutely be made without any butter (assuming you are using a bread that has no butter to begin with).

[chowser]

I rarely use butter in my bread pudding. Plenty of cream or half and half and eggs/egg yolks but never butter. There might be butter in the bread but I think quick breads like pumpkin bread are better in bread pudding w/out butter/oil.

Something along these lines:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[tim irvine]

Absolutely! Made one the other night with old hamburger buns, skim milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and a few pecans. I just put it in a ceramic casserole and baked it. It was tasty, despite being made ostensibly from nonfat junk food.

[critter101]

Here's the recipe using leftover white bread. As I said, I substituted panettone (don't have the package, so not sure if it contained butter. I did cut the amount of sugar in half, since the panettone itself is sweet):

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 1/4 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups day old white bread, cubed
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first six ingredients and mix together well. Add remaining ingredients and pour into an 8 or 9 inch square oven proof dish. Sprinkle top with an additional bit of sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place dish in a larger pan of hot water, about 1 inch deep - forming a water bath. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean.

[foodieX2]

sounds great, thank you!

[tim irvine]

Stilton and Port...gotta have that animal fat and this isn't technically butter!

I love the Julia Child saying, "If you're afraid of butter, use cream."

[ipsedixit]

Well, it's not so much fear, but deep dislike.

[foodieX2]

In posing this question you have made me realize that there are very few desserts I like that don't have butter.

I am not a huge sweet eater to begin with (give me french fries over the finest chocolates) but when I do want something sweet it is usually something with caramel or something with a nice buttery crust or puff pastry.

Even cheese cake needs to have buttery crust or at least a salted caramel sauces….

So my answer is NONE!