Norman Love and his award-winning team of pastry chefs at Norman Love Confections will share baking and cooking tips during an upcoming series of fun, interactive cooking classes.
“Cooking with Love” consists of 12 hands-on cooking classes in which participants will learn how to bake classic pies, pastries, cookies, cakes, chocolate confections and more. New for 2019, Norman Love Confections’ talented chefs will show participants how to make delicious key lime and banana cream pies, cream puffs, brioche and chocolate layered cake.
“Our cooking classes are meant to be educational, interactive and fun,” said Norman Love, founder and owner of Norman Love Confections. “At the end of the night, each of our students is able to bring home their fresh-baked creations such as artisan confections or exquisite desserts to share with their families.”
Ideal for individuals and groups of friends looking for a unique social experience, “Cooking with Love” features five classes centered on artisan chocolates and seven courses focused on pastries.
Classes begin in April and continue through September. Each class runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Fort Myers Chocolate & Dessert Salon, 11380 Lindbergh Blvd. in Fort Myers. The cost is $95 per person, plus tax.
Class sizes are limited, so early reservations are encouraged. For more information or to make reservations, please call Norman Love Confections at 866-515-2121 or visit NormanLoveConfections.com.
CHOCOLATE CLASSES
Easter Eggs: Create your very own Easter egg chocolate sculpture filled with delicious Swiss milk truffles. Our chocolatiers will guide you in hand painting your own dark chocolate egg and teach you how to cast and assemble them. You will also learn how to create modern shell filled Swiss truffles and hide them inside your egg. Finally, they will all be beautifully packaged and ready to give or enjoy yourself!
Dates: April 5, April 12
Truffles: Learn why the name “truffle” holds such an elegant and delectable place in the hearts of all. In this class, you will master the 100-year-old art of truffle making. From the luscious dark chocolate hand formed to the modern Swiss shell filled, you will create these treats all yourself with the guidance of our chocolatiers and bring the finished treasures home to enjoy.
Dates: May 31, July 26
Molded Candies: Be a chocolatier for a night! Let the Chocolate Masters at Norman Love Confections teach you how to make the jewel-like treasures we are so famous for! You will be able to make everything yourself with the guidance of our staff, from hand coloring to casting liquid chocolate and mixing the custom ganaches to fill your candies. Enjoy a night of sweet success and take home all your treasures when you are done.
Dates: May 3, June 7
Chocolate Confections: Watch and learn to make some of our all-time favorite confections! Students will learn to make luscious truffle pops, fudge, chocolate caramel squares and delicious fruit and nut-studded chocolate bark.
Dates: July 12, August 9
Shoe Painting: Choose between a premade white, milk and dark shoe (select your preference when signing up). Use melted cocoa butters, sprinkles and shimmers to decorate. Fill with hand-rolled chocolate truffles.
Dates: June 21, August 23
PASTRY CLASSES
Cookies: Learn techniques for creating cookies that are permanent classics as well as some new recipes you can add to your repertoire. Master the perfect chocolate chip cookie, the yummy thumbprint cookie, the unique but undeniably delicious coconut macaroon and the classic cut-out sugar cookie.
Dates: May 3, August 9
Cupcakes and Cake Pops: Learn to create fun and festive decorated cupcakes and cake pops. Students will be shown how to make buttercream and create cute and playful cupcakes using various piping techniques, as well as make the surprisingly simple but popular cake pops.
Dates: May 31, July 26
American Classic Pies: Learn how easy it is to make some all-time American classics. This hands-on class lets you make your own crusts and fillings for the favorite key lime pie, banana cream pie, chocolate cream pie and a rustic apple tart.
Date: June 7
Thanksgiving Pies: Usher in the magic of the holiday season with the mastery of your favorite holiday pies! Learn to make fresh pie dough, and then use it to make the famously popular pumpkin pie, the nostalgic and comforting apple pie and the ooey gooey scrumptious pecan pie.
Date: September 13
Layered Cake: Learn how to make the popular chocolate layered cake, including the super moist chocolate cake with a rich baked chocolate ganache filling and decadent chocolate frosting, all layered together to make an attractive, delicious masterpiece.
Date: June 21
Cream puffs: Learn how to make the light and airy Pâte à Choux, then use it to make the ever-popular vanilla cream puff as well as some savory delights like salmon and cream cheese and Béchamel.
Dates: July 12
Sweet Breakfast Pastries: Learn how to make brioche. Our instructors will show you the many varieties you can create from this simple recipe, including fruit filled, cheese filled and even doughnuts.
Dates: August 23
About Norman Love Confections
Founded in 2001 by Norman and Mary Love, Norman Love Confections creates and distributes handcrafted artisanal chocolates from its corporate headquarters at 11380 Lindbergh Blvd. in Fort Myers, Florida. The award-winning Fort Myers-based chocolatier has been lauded more than a dozen times by a leading consumer ratings magazine, including recognition six times for producing the best ultra-premium chocolates in the nation. Forbes.com included Norman Love Confections BLACK line on its list of the nation’s top 10 truffles; The Huffington Post listed it among the six best U.S. destinations in its Chocolate Lover’s Travel Guide; and USA Today named Love as one of its top 10 entrepreneurs for 2014. Love was named the inaugural inductee of Dessert Professional Magazine’s Chocolatier Hall of Fame, partnered with local chefs to present a six-course meal at the James Beard House in New York and Norman Love Confections was ranked among the top 10 shops in the world for chocolate lovers by U.K. media outlet Daily Telegraph.
Norman Love Confections has Chocolate Salons in Fort Myers, Estero and Naples, including a pastry shop and café at Whole Foods Market in Fort Myers salon. Chocolates, gift baskets, sipping chocolate and Love’s book, “Artistry in Chocolate, A Story of Love,” also can be ordered online at www.normanloveconfections.com. In addition, Norman Love Confections chocolates and desserts are offered on 18 Princess Cruises’ ships through the “Chocolate Journeys” partnership and at independent retail locations throughout the U.S. For more information visit www.normanloveconfections.com or call 239-561-7215.
