Dessert and diabetes: Are they necessarily incompatible? Not if you know when to say “enough.” But when you’re faced with cakes, pies, tarts, and other desserts that are meant to serve eight to 10 people, it’s easy to overeat—especially since everyone’s idea of a slice differs.

That’s where individual-serving desserts come in. When the portion size is well defined, you lower your chances of overeating. A study in the May issue of the journal Obesity found that people ate less food when presented with four 100-calorie packages of crackers than they did when given a single 400-calorie bag of the same crackers. The very idea
of a portion seems to have swayed their appetite.

It’s also easier to be satisfied with less—and to savor every bit—when a dessert has a lot of flavor. That’s why most people only eat a few bites of a dense, rich, flourless chocolate cake but might inhale an entire box of cookies.

Preparing mini delicious desserts in small batches lets you enjoy the best things about dessert without risking a nutritional fiasco. You can enjoy cooking (without worrying about what to do with an entire bundt cake) and feel like you’re treating yourself—while, at the same time, you treat yourself well.

The Idea:

A little goes a long way! You don’t need to stuff yourself when tiny desserts like these pack so much flavor into so few calories.

The Tools:

Thinking small when it comes to dessert is easier when your kitchen arsenal gets small, too. Here are some clever items that will help you prep and serve your mini delights.

Mini Ramekins	Shot Glass	Demitasse
Little Spoons and Forks	Mini Tart Pans	Mini Muffin Pan

The Recipes:

Mini Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cups

Mini Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cups (Small-Batch Version)

Walnut Mini Baklava

Walnut Mini Baklava (Small-Batch Version)

Arborio Rice and Fig Pudding

Arborio Rice and Fig Pudding (Small-Batch Version)