Sweets fill a need

By KIM MULFORD • Courier-Post Staff • March 31, 2010.

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Dietary Cakes

Photo by: Douglas M. Bovitt/Courier-Post
From left, the gluten-free potato sponge with strawberry and white chocolate mousse, flax seed carrot cake, a potato sponge with strawberry jam and buttercreme icing and a flourless chocolate cake are displayed at Simplicity Desserts.

Simplicity Desserts in Voorhees creates gluten-free cakes, including a flourless chocolate ganache cake, luscious buttercream sponge cakes and vanilla cakes layered with vanilla mousse and strawberries.

For people with cancer and high blood-pressure or heart conditions, Simplicity offers muffins and cakes made with flaxseed, an ingredient chef Mohan De Silva says has unique health benefits.

He created the recipes after he started receiving requests for gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan desserts, especially for special occasions such as children's birthdays.

"They need to also enjoy desserts," says De Silva, who made desserts for George W. Bush's second inauguration.

"You cannot just say, "Here, eat an apple and go to the side and wait.' "

Wedding cake flowers

Photo by: Douglas M. Bovitt/Courier-Post
An assortment of gluten-free and flourless cakes are displayed at Simplicity Desserts.

In place of wheat flour, De Silva might use potato starch or nut flours. In place of sugar, he uses a substitute sweetener. In place of eggs -- well, he won't reveal that secret.

"You couldn't even tell the difference," he insists.