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Florentines

FLORENTINES

Enjoy a classic European treat! These Florentines offer a taste of traditional baking with their blend of fruit, nuts, and a hint of sweetness. Perfect for those who love timeless flavors.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 18 Small Cookies
Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1-3/4 oz unsalted butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1-3/4 oz demerara sugar
  • 1-3/4 oz golden syrup
  • 1-3/4 oz plain flour (I used gluten-free flour)
  • 1 oz dried cranberries or glacé cherries finely chopped (I used dried sour cherries)
  • 1-3/4 oz candied peel finely chopped
  • 1 oz almonds finely chopped
  • 1 oz walnut pieces finely chopped
  • 7 oz plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line three baking trays with baking parchment or silicon sheets.
  • Measure the butter, salt, sugar and syrup into a small pan and heat gently until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the flour, chopped cranberries or cherries, candied peel and nuts to the pan. Stir well to mix.
  • Make 18 florentines by spooning six teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to each of the prepared baking trays, leaving plenty of room for them to spread during cooking. (I found it best to slightly flatten each mound with the back of a teaspoon).
    Florentines
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden-brown (the mixture will go lacy as it cooks and the outer edges will brown a little)
  • Leave the florentines to cool completely (as they are very delicate and will easily break while still warm) before lifting onto a cooling rack using a palette knife - they should lift off very easily once cooled.
  • Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water.Temper the chocolate by breaking half of the chocolate into the bowl. Stir until the chocolate reaches a melting temperature of 53°C/127°F. Meanwhile, finely chop or grate the remaining chocolate.
  • Carefully remove the bowl from the pan, add the rest of the chocolate and stir gently until the chocolate has cooled to 26°C/79°F (this low temperature ensures the chocolate will be easier to spread onto the back of the cookie, and won't leak through to the other side).
  • Using a small spatula, spread a little melted chocolate over the flat base of each florentine. (Don't be too stingy with your chocolate layer - make it reasonably thick so that you can work back into it with your fork later. And, keep some paper towels handy as it's pretty messy).
  • Leave the chocolate to cool slightly (I waited for about 10 minutes), then using the tines of a fork, create zigzag lines in the chocolate. Leave to set, chocolate side up on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container, or in the fridge.

Notes

Mary Berry's recipe specifically creates 18 biscuits. These end up being pretty small though, so if you prefer palm-sized (but fewer) biscuits instead (which is the standard size here in New Zealand), make each portion bigger.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword Biscuits, Florentines
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