Florentines - Essex Style

Apart from the cream these are all the ingredients you require.

Now all chocolate production has come to an end for a few weeks, I can turn my attention to baking. 

If my memory serves me correctly I don't believe I have made Chocolate Florentines since I was at school which is far too long ago to even think about. 

From what I can remember these can be tricky little blighters especially in terms of timing so, don't have too many Christmas Disaronnos' as you will require all your faculties for this one! 

They will make a fantastic gift for somebody if you're still out there searching for that special, handmade gift.

Ingredients:

25g butter
75g golden caster sugar
10g plain flour
65 ml double cream
50g whole almonds, cut into thin slivers
50g ready flaked almonds
50g whole candied peel, chopped
25g glace cherries, chopped
25g angelica, finely chopped
175g milk chocolate


Method:

• Using a heavy based saucepan pour in the butter and caster sugar and allow to melt on a very low heat and continue stirring until mixture has melted. 

• Add the cream and stir until blended

• Stir in the cherries, angelica, nuts and peel and flour and continue cooking for a further minute.

• Remove the saucepan from heat for a few minutes and allow to cool

• Place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto prepared baking sheets ensuring there is sufficient space between each one, as they expand while baking.

• Flatten each spoonful with the back of a teaspoon and then bake on a high shelf for about 10-12 minutes at 190 degrees or 170 C, fan oven or gas mark 5. Watch them carefully as they will change colour very quickly from golden to deep brown in an instant!

• When ready take them out of the oven and allow them to cool and harden for 2-3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire baking tray.

• Melt the chocolate in a basin over a saucepan of warm water making sure the water does not touch the basin. This will take between 5 and 10 minutes. 

• Using a teaspoon coat the bottom of each Florentine with melted milk chocolate.

This recipe makes 20 Florentines and will take approx. 60 minutes to make a batch. Top Tip: I will make them slightly smaller next time to make approx. 30.