Category Archives: Desserts

Almond Tuile Cookies

June 30, 2022 by pamflo

There’s a popular ice cream shop in Cape Cod called the Polar Cave. The ice cream is delicious, but the “made to order” warm waffle cones are outstanding. The freshly baked waffle cones perfume the air as you’re waiting in line to enter the store. I wanted to create a lighter version of this experience at home and a thin, toasty almond cookie did the trick. These cookies are light, airy, gluten free and make a delightful dessert. The warm […]

Categories: Cookies, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas, Nuts • Tags: Bake

Nutty Oat Bars

June 9, 2022 by pamflo

Crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle, sweet and nutty, and honestly a terrific and satisfying snack or breakfast! Many bars are either too sweet or not sweet enough, crumble when cut or too mushy. Nutritious and flavorful, this is the perfect bar. High in protein and calcium, amaranth is a gluten-free grain and an important food source in South America and Mexico. If amaranth is hard to find, sesame seeds or quinoa are a good substitute. Don’t […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Morning Glory Muffins

May 19, 2022 by pamflo

There’s a great little place in Marston Mills on Cape Cod called Morning Glory Cafe. Although the cafe has a broad variety of breakfast and lunch items, their morning glory muffins are not to be missed. This is my best shot at creating a similar style muffin and I have to admit that these are really delicious! Whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour do the trick, but I used white whole wheat flour which […]

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Healthish, Muffins, Snack, Vegetables • Tags: Bake

Strawberry Rhubarb Polenta Crisp

May 5, 2022 by pamflo

Fresh strawberries can easily be transformed into a bubbly, fragrant and beautiful dessert. Strawberries paired with thinly sliced rhubarb stalks provide some extra tartness to this delicious crisp. Rhubarb is high in antioxidants, vitamin K and a natural laxative. A lightly sweetened crumbly topping made with quick cooking polenta, adds a nice crispy texture to each bite. I find the best way to enjoy this crisp is serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh chilled […]

Categories: Crisp, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Fruit, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake

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Date and Almond Butter Fudge Bars

April 21, 2022 by pamflo

Always in search of a healthy treat, I was inspired by this fudge recipe that uses dates as a base and provides its sweetness. Large and plump, Medjool dates are a perfect natural sweetener for bars, smoothies and baked goods. Dates are a stone fruit that are high in fiber and a rich source of antioxidants. Choose dates that are shiny, unbroken, and not too firm. Both the coconut oil and almond butter have a dual purpose of providing great […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas • Tags: No Cooking

Almond Coconut Meringues

April 7, 2022 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 with a pinch of cream of tartar until slightly […]

Categories: Cookies, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake, Whip

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

March 24, 2022 by pamflo

This bread is a family favorite with the combination of ripe bananas and chocolate chips. It’s moist and delectable, and the scent will waft through your kitchen as it’s baking. Let the banana bread cool and serve it warm. The bread will freeze well, if you have any slices left! Let’s talk about flour, specifically about the weight of it. There is a difference between “2 cups sifted all-purpose flour” and “2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted”. Actually the variance is […]

Categories: Breads, Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chili

February 10, 2022 by pamflo

This dense, chocolaty and utterly delicious cake recipe is adapted from Eating Well magazine. This is a gluten-free cake with no flour in the batter and a secret ingredient of chipotle chili powder. I say secret ingredient because you might not detect the chili powder, but it intensifies the chocolate and the cinnamon flavors. I always recommend using good quality chocolate with at least 70% cacao. Guittard bittersweet baking wafers, which I enthusiastically recommend, are readily available in most markets. […]

Categories: Cakes, Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake, Melt

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Holiday Dessert Board

December 16, 2021 by pamflo

Looking for an easy way to serve dessert for the holidays, this dessert board is a fun and festive idea! My board has mugs of steamy oat milk hot chocolate (recipe below) and mini marshmallows, as well as an assortment of delicious cookies and pastries. I used the Oatly brand of oat milk which makes a very creamy hot chocolate. You can add sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon, if you please. My hot chocolate had nothing added to it except […]

Categories: Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Holiday Ideas • Tags: No Cooking

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Pistachio Cranberry Ice Box Cookies

December 9, 2021 by pamflo

The holiday season is upon us and creating homemade gifts can be fun and festive. These “ice box” or “refrigerator” cookies make beautiful and delicious gifts. These cookies are made by shaping dough into logs and then refrigerating the dough before slicing and baking. The advantage to this type of cookie is the dough can be prepared ahead of time and either refrigerated or frozen. The last step, although optional, is to coat the cookie dough in an egg wash and […]

Categories: Cookies, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Holiday Ideas, Nuts • Tags: Bake

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Pears Poached in White Wine

October 21, 2021 by pamflo

Poached pears are an easy, delicious and elegant dessert. The pears can also be added to a salad or served alongside a cheese platter. Always use wine that you’re willing to drink. A sweeter white wine works for this recipe such as Chardonnay or a Riesling. Firm pears like Anjou or Bosc are the best type to poach, as they hold their shape. You’ll peel the pears leaving the stem intact, but also slice a 1/2 inch off of the […]

Categories: Appetizer, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Poach

Rustic Apple Galette

September 16, 2021 by pamflo

The approaching fall means apple season is here! With so many varieties its almost hard to choose what to bake with. I used Braeburn and Gala apples. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious are good choices as well. This free-form tart comes together easily by hand or in a food processor. The dough is simple to work with and creates a beautiful rustic tart with a flaky crust and tender filling. Many bakers coat the crust with an egg wash, […]

Categories: Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Fruit, Holiday Ideas, Pies/Tarts • Tags: Bake

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Grilled Peaches

September 2, 2021 by pamflo

The late summer peaches are sweet, juicy and just perfect to eat, but also great for grilling. After cutting the peaches in half and removing the pit, coat the peaches lightly with olive oil. Grill the peaches cut side down in a grill pan or outdoor grill, for about 3-4 minutes. When you see distinct grill marks and the natural sugars start to caramelize, the peaches are ready. Serve these sweet peaches with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. […]

Categories: Desserts, Fruit, Gluten Free, Healthish, Ice Cream • Tags: Grill

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Watermelon Dessert Pizza

July 1, 2021 by pamflo

It’s steamy hot in Massachusetts right now, and here is a refreshing dish requiring no cooking. This is a fun riff on a dessert “pizza” with the watermelon slices resembling slices of pizza. It’s as easy as whipping the ricotta with vanilla extract, honey, a pinch of cinnamon and slathering it on thick, juicy slices of watermelon. It’s a beautiful light dessert or a creative brunch dish. Festive and perfect for the July 4th holiday!

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas • Tags: No Cooking

Olive Oil Orange Cake

June 3, 2021 by pamflo

This lightly sweetened, fruity cake is made with extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter. Olive oil is a healthy substitute for butter. Although it is a source of fat, it contains healthy monounsaturated fats and is a good source of antioxidants. Baking with olive oil produces a lighter textured cake, provides moisture and helps enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. The juice and zest of the oranges help balance the intensity of the olive oil flavor. Serve this delicious […]

Categories: Cakes, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Fruit • Tags: Bake, Whip

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Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes

May 20, 2021 by pamflo

Strawberry season is just within reach in Boston, spanning from late May through June. These bright red, succulent beauties are delicious straight out of the box. Another way to use perfectly ripe fruit is to macerate it or soak it in sugar, alcohol or a flavored liquid. Maceration changes the texture and creates juicy, sweet and aromatic fruit. These lightly sweetened strawberries which were soaked in a little sugar and fresh orange juice, can be served simply with a dollop […]

Categories: Biscuits, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Fruit, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake, Whip

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Almond Tea Cookies

April 29, 2021 by pamflo

The delightful aroma of these freshly baked cookies still lingers in my kitchen. These cookies are crunchy, pack an awesome almond punch, and are both gluten and dairy free! These cookies are made with almonds and coconut flour, which is naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and mild in taste. Almond tea cookies are perfect when dunked into a hot cup of tea or coffee, and make a beautiful gift as well. Before baking, place the cookie dough in the refrigerator […]

Categories: Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gifts, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake

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Cashew Butter and Honey Cookies

March 11, 2021 by pamflo

I “virtually” attended a cookie baking extravaganza during the holidays with talented food stylist and recipe developer, Susan Spungen. Almost immediately after the class, I baked her cashew cookies and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since. It was time to make another batch and share the recipe. My all time favorite cookie is the sesame tahini cookie (see recipe in zesty archives), but these delicious cookies come in at a very close second. The combination of the cashew butter […]

Categories: Cookies, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Gifts, Nuts • Tags: Bake

Intensely Chocolate Walnut Brownies

February 11, 2021 by pamflo

The smell in my kitchen is absolutely intoxicating! February 14th is approaching and these brownies are the perfect sweet and chocolatey homemade gift. These heavenly squares are gluten-free, and the cornstarch-cocoa powder combination replaces the flour. The toasted chopped walnuts elevate these brownies, but the nuts are optional. I’ve added both cocoa nibs for extra crunch and a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt, which balances the sugar and intensifies the deep chocolate flavor. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Categories: Brownies, Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake

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Chocolate Swirl Peppermint Bark

December 23, 2020 by pamflo

Chocolate bark is an easy and delicious dessert for a party, a perfect gift or a treat just for you. A timely snow storm provided a free day for some fun projects. Most professional chocolate is “tempered”, or heated and cooled to a certain temperature to stabilize the chocolate. This ensures a shiny finish, a firm bite and a longer shelf life. This process takes time and a bit of skill. This bark recipe doesn’t require tempering. Chocolate that is not […]

Categories: Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Melt

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Mint Chocolate Sable Cookies

December 17, 2020 by pamflo

I had the privilege of meeting Dorie Greenspan, baker extraordinaire and cookbook author. She has published many beautiful cookbooks, but Dorie’s Cookies is a wonderful gift for any baker. At a recent book signing event, the discussion about her food journey was heartfelt, warm and funny. Listening to her speak about making cookies, reminded me how much I enjoy baking during the holidays. Sables are French butter cookies and they’re a perfect holiday gift or treat. The smooth, deep minty […]

Categories: Chocolate, Cookies, Crowd Pleaser, Desserts, Gifts, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake

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Zest For Cooking

I love to cook and share my love of food!

Category Archives: Desserts

Almond Tuile Cookies

Nutty Oat Bars

Morning Glory Muffins

Strawberry Rhubarb Polenta Crisp

Date and Almond Butter Fudge Bars

Almond Coconut Meringues

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chili

Holiday Dessert Board

Pistachio Cranberry Ice Box Cookies

Pears Poached in White Wine

Rustic Apple Galette

Grilled Peaches

Watermelon Dessert Pizza

Olive Oil Orange Cake

Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes

Almond Tea Cookies

Cashew Butter and Honey Cookies

Intensely Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Chocolate Swirl Peppermint Bark

Mint Chocolate Sable Cookies