SHORTCUTS: Sweet treats to celebrate daylight saving

Let's celebrate daylight-saving time March 14 with light, fruity desserts!

If you've been a loyal "Shortcuts" reader, you know that I tread lightly when it comes to sweets. Experimenting with new ideas and modifying old recipes, I came up with these fun treats.

I love all things made with lemon. Miniature ready-made graham cracker pie crusts, Greek yogurt and lemon curd provide the shortcuts when making my low-fat, no-bake lemon tarts. Why Greek yogurt? Nearly twice the protein and half the carbs (sugar) of regular low-fat yogurt.

Marshmallow crème was a time-saving substitute for meringue when topping these tangy tarts. It also gave me the perfect opportunity to test the mini-cooking torch I received as a Christmas gift. Don't de-spair, a torch isn't required to make this dish -- more fun, yes, but a carefully watched broiler will also do the trick.

Cooking torches were produced as a finishing tool for baked goods but also come in handy for crisping glazes on meat and fish. They are most often used to add a golden brown color to the surface of crème brulee. When "torched," sugar sprinkled on top caramelizes then hardens creating a crunchy coating. Try this same technique on your morning grapefruit half.

My recent fascination with wonton wraps has gotten the best of me. I've pressed them into muffin tins to make delicate crusts for bite-size hors d'oeuvres, stuffed them with savory flavored ricotta cheese creating tender pillows of mock ravioli, and now baked them into sweet pastry squares to use in fruit "Napoleons."

Several years ago, I printed a faux Napoleon recipe made with refrigerated rolls of pie dough. Substituting sugary wonton wraps for baked squares of pie dough lightened up this traditionally rich dessert. Eating it is a bit of a challenge. I like to pick up the first square like a cookie. Once cracked with a lip-smacking bite or the push of a spoon, sweet bits of crunchy goodness meld with whipped cream and fruit mimicking the texture and flavor of luscious crème brulee. Blending a splash of rum into the whipped topping adds extra panache!

When summer's bounty arrives, experiment with other fruits for this towering treat. I recommend peaches or nectarines with a little bourbon in the cream if you please!

If you gave up candy for Lent, try one of these effortless desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.

LEMON PIE-TARTS (revisited)

6-mini-graham cracker mini pie crusts

1 (6-oz.) carton plain Greek yogurt

½ tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

12-oz. lemon curd

1 (7.5-oz.) jar of marshmallow crème (you'll use about ½ of jar*)

Mini-torch or broiler

*Use leftover crème to make "fluffernutters" (peanut butter and marshmallow crème) sand-wiches for the kids!

-- Combine yogurt, honey and vanilla; mix until blended. Spoon equal amounts of mixture into bottom of each mini-crust. Create a second layer with equally divided portions of lemon curd.

-- Using teaspoons, dollop marshmallow crème on top of curd, spreading out, completely covering top.

-- With a cooking torch, carefully brown marshmallow topping until golden brown, or, place tarts on a baking sheet 6 inches from broiler and watch closely until golden brown. Serves 6.

CRISPY FRUIT NAPOLEONS for TWO

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Cooking spray

6 wonton wraps

2 kiwi, peeled and diced

1 cup finely chopped pineapple, juices drained

1 cup whipped topping

½ tablespoon rum (optional)

Confectioners' sugar

-- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small dish. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

-- Arrange wonton wrappers on prepared sheet, spacing them apart. Spray tops lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake on center rack for 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

-- Combine kiwi and pineapple. Blend rum into whipped topping.

-- Plate Napoleons as follows: place one baked wonton square on dessert plate, top with ¼ of whipped topping then ¼ of fruit; repeat process, ending with wonton on top. Assemble second Napoleon the same way. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Mary Ann Kauchak lives in Lake Ridge. Her third cookbook, "SHORTCUTS, TOO" is avail-able at Mom's Apple Pie in Occoquan. Reach her at makauchak@comcast.net