Category Archives: Chocolate/Candy

Paleo Peppermint Patties

February 8, 2018 by pamflo

Any interest in making your Valentine a healthy treat? Me too, that’s why I love this recipe and it involves no cooking! Food that doesn’t involve cooking relies on really fresh, high quality ingredients. These divine chocolate patties are super minty and pack an intense coconut punch. Instead of corn syrup or white sugar, I used pure maple syrup. Store the patties in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. This refreshing treat makes a beautiful […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Low Sugar, Paleo • Tags: No Cooking

Holiday Chocolate Bark

December 21, 2017 by pamflo

Chocolate bark is an easy and delicious dessert for a party, a perfect hostess gift or a treat just for you. A timely snow storm provided a free day for some fun projects. In additional to making some decadent dark chocolate bark, I also learned how to make a boomerang Instagram video 🙂 Most professional chocolate is “tempered”, which requires it to be brought to a certain temperature. This ensures a shiny finish, a firm bite and a longer shelf […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Gifts, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas, Low Sugar • Tags: Holiday Ideas, Melt

Double Chocolate Expresso Cookies

November 30, 2017 by pamflo

These double chocolatey, ooey-gooey, decadent cookies are a family favorite and don’t contain any flour! With the holidays approaching, I added instant expresso for punch as well as dark chocolate chunks. The coffee will give you a little boost of energy after the holiday meal. Although these cookies are gluten free, they are still super flavorful and provide a profound chocolate blast. I don’t consider myself a contest type of girl, but just for fun I entered a holiday cookie […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Cookies/Brownies, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free • Tags: Bake, Contest

Chocolate Toffee Matzo

April 21, 2016 by pamflo

The start of the Jewish holiday, Passover, begins on Friday at sundown. Although Chocolate Toffee Matzo isn’t a traditional Passover dish, it is a delectable and addictive treat. You don’t have to celebrate Passover to enjoy this sweet and salty dessert. Matzo, an unleavened flatbread, is a key part of the Passover seder and the week long holiday. This flat cracker originated when the Israelites were exiled from Egypt and didn’t have the time to let their bread rise. You can substitute gluten-free crackers […]

Categories: Bars, Chocolate/Candy, Dessert, Gifts, Snack • Tags: Bake, Boil

Molten Chocolate Cake

February 11, 2016 by pamflo

Welcome to my new blog design. I really hope this format helps you enjoy reading my posts even more. Zest For Cooking will now be mobile-friendly, as well as easier to navigate and search recipes. Thanks so much for your continue support, comments and feedback. I can’t wait to hear more from my followers. Please note my new blog address is now www.zestforcooking.com As the snow falls lightly but steadily, I’m in my cozy kitchen baking away. There’s nothing as wonderful […]

Categories: Cakes, Chocolate/Candy, Cooking Tips, Dessert, Gifts • Tags: Bake, Melt, Whip

Chocolate Bark

December 22, 2015 by pamflo

In preparation for the holidays, I thought I would re-post chocolate bark, a decadent holiday gift idea. It’s a fun and festive recipe, delicious and easy to make. Most professional chocolate is “tempered”, which requires it to be brought to a certain temperature. This ensures a shiny finish, and a longer shelf life. This process takes time and a bit of skill. This bark recipe doesn’t require tempering and is so addicting that it will get eaten before it’s chopped! Un-tempered chocolate […]

Categories: Bars, Chocolate/Candy, Dairy Free, Dessert, Fruit, Low Sugar, Nuts, Snack • Tags: Dairy Free, Melt, Sprinkle, Stir

Chocolate Truffles

December 17, 2015 by pamflo

Friends asked for a baking lesson, and I thought it might be fun to have a truffle making class. After rolling 40 truffles, they were experts! Certainly, a fun way to spend an afternoon and a delicious gift idea as well. There is no limit to the variety of truffles you can create. The basic ingredients are heavy cream and good quality chocolate. These two ingredients combined, make ganache, the truffle filling. We added a bit of butter and expresso […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Dessert, Gifts, Gluten Free, Snack • Tags: Gluten Free, Melt, Roll, Stir

Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

June 11, 2015 by pamflo

The cookie jar has something really interesting in it today! I’ve been on the hunt for a protein snack that’s portable, not perishable, grain-free and I think I’ve found it. These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are made with protein powder. You can use a different kind of nut butter, if you’re not a peanut butter fan. Just 6 ingredients, a bowl and a wooden spoon…..that’s all you need to prepare these cookies. The cookies are sweetened with coconut palm sugar, […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Cookies/Brownies, Dessert, Gluten Free, Snack • Tags: Bake, Gluten Free

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding with Coconut Cream

May 14, 2015 by pamflo

The cup of pudding sat in front of my son, who was exhausted from his tennis match and crazy hungry. I asked him to try this new recipe. What’s in it he asks? Not revealing my secret, I said…try it. My son liked the idea of dessert before dinner. Hmmm….he says, it’s good, interesting texture but very tasty. He was shocked to find out that it was dairy free and made with avocados. A winner and great blog post, he […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Pudding, Snack • Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Whip, Whiz

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

April 9, 2015 by pamflo

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food” –George Bernard Shaw. This was the quote in yesterday’s Boston Globe Food section. A popular chef who was being interviewed, stated that you can often feel the love that goes into preparing a dish. This rings true especially around the holidays. There’s something very satisfying about knowing that the meal you’ve prepared, brought together the friends and family around your table. After a few big holiday meals, I’ve been craving a […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Dessert, Fruit, Gluten Free • Tags: Gluten Free, Melt

Almond Coconut Meringues

March 26, 2015 by pamflo

Light, airy, melts-in-your mouth and gluten free! Meringues are surprisingly simple to make. The secret to crispy meringues are whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. You can either use a standing mixer with the whip attachment, or a hand mixer. When I was in cooking school, we had to whip the whites by hand — it builds muscle! The key steps are to whip room temperature egg whites until they’re a little creamy, slowly add the sugar, and then stabilize the whites […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Cookies/Brownies, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Nuts, Snack • Tags: Bake, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Whiz

Vanilla Bean Hot Chocolate

February 12, 2015 by pamflo

73! That might be the average temperature in Florida at this time of year, but it’s also the amount of snow (in inches) that Boston received in the last 3 weeks. The first thing that comes to mind on these chilly, snowy days, is a luscious, creamy cup of hot chocolate. This recipe happens to be dairy-free and absolutely delicious! 2 cups unsweetened almond milk 1 can coconut milk (I like the Native Forest Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk) 1 vanilla […]

Categories: Beverages, Chocolate/Candy, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Paleo • Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, Simmer

Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

December 22, 2014 by pamflo

As you wait for them to bake, you can imagine sinking your teeth into the sugary goodness. Festive and beautiful, these whoopie pies make a great gift or holiday dessert. Not gluten free, not dairy free and certainly not sugar free but they are finger licking good,! A combination of a soft chocolate cake, a creamy vanilla filling and finished with a roll in candy cane crumbles. Yum. HAPPY HOLIDAYS ! CAKES: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Cookies/Brownies, Dessert • Tags: Bake, Frost

Peppermint Buttercrunch

December 19, 2013 by pamflo

The combination of bubbling butter and sugar smells so sweet, it’s reminiscent of being a kid in a candy store. If this butter and sugar combo is covered in chocolate and nuts (or candy), it’s called buttercrunch. If it’s unadorned, it’s toffee. I’m not sure the name matters, because it’s deliciously addicting! My son and I made a batch of peppermint buttercrunch….what a fun snowy day activity. Making candy takes time and patience, but it’s worth the effort. The differences […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Gluten Free • Tags: Boil, Butter, Candy, Chocolate, Gluten Free, Peppermint, Sugar

Chocolate Peanut Toffee

February 17, 2012 by pamflo

Wow, it’s been awhile since I posted a recipe! I’m taking a nutrition class on-line and I have a quite a bit of homework. It is incredibly interesting and I can’t wait to share what I’m learning. I’ve gotten many requests for this amazingly decadent treat so I thought I would post it for you to try. Making candy can be tricky but this recipe is easy to follow. If you don’t already own a candy (deep fry) thermometer, go […]

Categories: Chocolate/Candy, Gluten Free • Tags: Boil, Butter, Candy, Candy thermometer, Chocolate