Friday Recipe: Raspberry Strippers

I liked the name of these! Plus they sound exactly like one of my favorite Entenmann's, the Raspberry Danish Twist. I don't buy them for a reason--I'll eat the entire thing in one sitting! And Cooking Light insists they're healthy, so they'd make the perfect holiday dessert. Now they were kind enough to tell me the nutritional information, which I posted at the bottom.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup raspberry or apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Beat granulated sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). 
3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and egg white; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. 
4. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until well-blended. (Dough will be stiff.)
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 12-inch log. 
6. Place logs 3 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. 
7. Form a 1/2-inch-deep indentation down the length of each log using an index finger or end of a wooden spoon. 
8. Spoon preserves into the center. 
9. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. 
10. Remove logs to a cutting board.
11. Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract; stir well with a whisk. 
12. Drizzle sugar mixture over warm logs. 
13. Immediately cut each log diagonally into 12 slices. (Do not separate slices.) Cool 10 minutes; separate slices. 
14. Transfer slices to wire racks. 
15. Cool completely.

Nutritional Information-Amount per serving

• Calories: 75
• Calories from fat: 30%
• Fat: 2.5g
• Saturated fat: 1.5g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.7g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g
• Protein: 0.7g
• Carbohydrate: 12.4g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Cholesterol: 6mg
• Iron: 0.3mg
• Sodium: 56mg
• Calcium:  4mg