Snow Pudding With Quick Raspberry Sauce

— -- While this dessert still contains the sugar -- it is dessert, after all -- there's no fat to be found. Sara Moulton's Snow Pudding with Quick Raspberry Sauce from "Sara Moulton Cooks at Home" uses lots of fruit and has a zesty, light quality that won't leave you feeling overly stuffed at the end of the night.

Quick Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Combine the raspberries, lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor.

Taste and add additional sugar if desired.

Process until well-blended and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Snow Pudding

Ingredients

1 envelope (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

3 large egg whites at room temperature

1 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries

Quick Raspberry Sauce

Directions

Pour 1/4 cup cold water into a small saucepan.

Sprinkle on the gelatin and set aside for five minutes to dissolve.

Add the sugar, salt and 1 1/4 cup of cold water.

Set over medium-high heat and cook about two minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar and gelatin have dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate until almost set, about two hours.

Use an electric mixer to beat the gelled mixture until light and airy, three minutes to five minutes.

Add the egg whites and continue beating until the mixture increases in volume and begins to form gentle, soft peaks, about five minutes.

Place a few berries in the bottom of decorative glasses or dishes.

Spoon in the pudding, cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least three hours and preferably overnight.

Serve in the glass with the raspberry sauce.