These dessert ideas are ideal for the cook who is not used to cooking dairy-free, but wishes to accommodate lactose-intolerant guests. Many of the dairy-free substitute foods available, such as soy or tofu ice cream, bear very little resemblance to the real thing and are unlikely to be appreciated by non-allergic guests. It’s simpler to opt for desserts which don’t contain dairy to begin with.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer
Fruit Salad
Fresh fruit salad is a light and classy option in the summer months. Serve with ladyfingers – small strips of sponge made with egg, flour and sugar.
Sorbet and Granita
My new ice cream maker has reawakened me to the joys of homemade sorbet. If you have an ice cream maker, it only takes a few minutes to make a simple syrup and add a few cups of berries. Strawberry, fruits of the forest and mango are common sorbet flavours, or you can ring in the changes with an exotic tomato and basil sorbet.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, try making granita in your freezer. The mixture is basically sweetened, flavoured ice – lemon, coffee and grapefruit are popular – which is stirred every hour or so while freezing to prevent it hardening into a solid lump. Granita is refreshing on a hot day, but melts fast!
Meringues and Macaroons
Pavlova is out because of the cream, but meringues are delicious on their own. For a fancier version, stir finely chopped dark chocolate (check to make sure it’s dairy-free) and chopped almonds or pecans into the meringue mixture before baking. Decorate with a drizzle of melted chocolate and serve with fruit or berries.
Photo courtesy of Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble
Macaroons – whether the traditional kind made with almond paste or the coconut versions – also tend to be dairy-free. I’ve seen a few recipes that use sweetened condensed milk – look for one that uses an egg or egg white to bind the mixture together.
Baked Apples
Most baked apple recipes include butter. Substitute cconut oil or a dairy-free spread to make a satisfying winter dessert.
Apple Crumble
Similarly, the butter in apple crumble recipes can be replaced with coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil, while healthier than refined, gives a distinct coconutty taste. If you dislike the taste, use refined coconut oil.
Jelly
Homemade jelly (jello to Americans!) can be much more impressive than the day-glo packet varieties. Try an exotic flavour, such as a cherry-studded port wine jelly.
Dairy-Free Pies
Any pastry recipe (such as this top-rated Allrecipes pie crust) which uses shortening instead of butter can be used as the base for a dairy-free fruit pie. Apple pies, berry pies, peach pies and more require little more than fruit for their fillings.
Cakes and Loaves Made with Oil
One of my favourite loaf recipes is Allrecipes’ Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread. I’d never even considered that it was dairy-free, but sure enough – all the moisture comes from the oil and mashed pumpkin, with nary a stick of butter in sight. Lemon cakes, zucchini loaves, banana bran muffins and other fruit or vegetable quickbreads are often made with vegetable oil rather than butter – hunt through your recipe file and see if one of your favourites is suitable!
Swiss Rolls
Sponges are generally dairy-free, although Genoese sponges contain a small amount of butter. Make a simple sponge mixture in a Swiss roll tin, spread with fancy jam or preserves and roll it up for a light and easy dessert. Angel food cake is another dairy-free option.
When cooking for dairy-free guests it is extremely important to eliminate cross-contamination. Make sure your baking dishes and utensils are scrupulously clean, and try not to touch dairy products while baking. Read labels carefully – just because some dark chocolate is dairy-free doesn’t mean it all is (and the same goes for sprinkles, artificial flavourings and goodness knows what else! When in doubt, check.) Don’t be embarrassed to ring up your guest to ask about a confusing label – most lactose-intolerant people are pros at deciphering food labels, and will be thrilled that you’re making the effort!
