Florentines

It’s often thought (and often debated) that the florentine biscuit came from France, and while they have been a staple in almost every French bakery since the Renaissance, their name provides an obvious clue as to where they actually originated. I love these biscuits for their bright contrasting colours and the perfect balance between the bitterness of the dark chocolate and the sweetness of the caramelised almonds and candied fruits. Enjoy them with a cup of strong coffee or an Earl Grey tea.

Makes about 20

180 g (6¼ oz) flaked almonds

30 g (1 oz) almond meal

30 g (1 oz) candied orange peel

30 g (1 oz) glacé cherries, coarsely chopped

30 g (1 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter

150 g (5½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

50 g (1¾ oz) honey

40 g (1½ oz) whipping cream (35% fat)

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

L Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line three baking trays with baking paper or a silicone mat.

L Put the almonds, almond meal, orange peel, glacé cherries and flour in a bowl and combine well. Put the butter, sugar, honey and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat and stir continuously until it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium, then continue stirring until the mixture reaches 115°C (240°F) on a sugar thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat, add the dry ingredients and combine well.

L Using two tablespoons (one to pick up the mixture and the other to push it off), drop tablespoons of hot mixture onto the lined trays, spacing them about 5 cm (2 in) apart. You will have to work fast, as the mixture will harden quickly as it cools down. When each tray is full, place a sheet of baking paper over the top and use the palm of your hand to gently flatten the florentines to a 1 cm (½ in) thickness. They need to be the same thickness so they cook evenly.

L Remove the top piece of baking paper, then place the trays in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch them like a hawk — burnt florentines aren’t very pleasant! Remove from the oven and, if desired, use a lightly greased round biscuit cutter to even out the shape. Leave on the trays until cool.

L To coat the florentines, slowly melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (see tips), then remove the bowl from the heat and set aside until the chocolate is cool. Working with one biscuit at a time, dip the flat side of the florentine in the chocolate. If you feel creative, use a comb or a fork to create the distinctive wavy pattern on the chocolate. Place the florentines, chocolate side up, on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for about 10 minutes, or until set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

tips

A bain-marie is a water bath used to gently cook ingredients such as eggs or chocolate. To prepare a bain-marie, place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan filled with water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. This ensures that the ingredients in the bowl will heat up very gradually and that the cooking temperature never exceeds 80°C (175°F).

It’s important to note that dark chocolate tends to melt easier than milk chocolate, which contains less cocoa butter and therefore tends to burn a lot quicker. If you are melting milk chocolate, take your time, leave the heat on low and stir often with a spatula until melted.