Sweet dreams? Healthy ways to put pudding back on the menu | Kitchen aide

"My main piece of advice, which maybe isn't all that welcome, is to keep to small portions, says Brian Levy, author of Good & Sweet, in which his recipes contain no added sugar. My grandma would keep mini chocolate bars and have just one, but that's never really worked for me. 'Tis the season for stewed fruit, but have you tried Melissa Hemsley's banana slices sandwiched together with peanut butter, half-dipped in melted chocolate and put in the freezer?"

"You can't beat frozen grapes, either, says baker Lily Jones, who's behind the London by Lily Vanilli afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Tower Bridge. To level them up a notch, she sprinkles those with chilli flakes, salt or freeze-dried sour cherries. Equally chill would be Jones's frozen peanut butter bites, which also happen to be gluten-free: They're peanut butter, maple syrup, oat milk and sea salt frozen into bite-sized moulds."

"Otherwise, try a batch of Levy's caramel apples: They are rich and flavourful, chewy, buttery caramels sweetened only with fruit [apple juice and dates], plus a little miso. It's worth leaning into unrefined sugars, such as honey and maple syrup, too, says fellow sweet-tooth Flora Shedden, author of Winter in the Highlands: I'm terrible, but I don't want my kids to have tons of refined sugar, although they're now addicted to dates and prunes it's as if they've got the palate of an 80-year-old."

Keep to small portions to manage dessert indulgence while limiting refined sugar and calories. Banana slices sandwiched with peanut butter, half-dipped in melted chocolate and frozen create a sweet, satisfying bite; the same approach works with dates. Frozen grapes make a refreshing treat and can be elevated with chilli flakes, salt or freeze-dried sour cherries. Frozen peanut-butter bites made with peanut butter, maple syrup, oat milk and sea salt, then dipped in dark chocolate, offer healthy fat and protein. Caramel apples sweetened with apple juice and dates plus miso provide rich, chewy sweetness. Lean toward unrefined sugars such as honey and maple syrup.

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