Florentines

After making some incredibly easy Melting Moments biscuits I challenged myself in the same morning to make florentines for the first time too. They turned out to be a little challenging but worth the effort.

I'd realised earlier in the day that I didn't have enough chopped almonds to make this recipe, so I popped down the shops, but they only had whole almonds. This meant I quickly learnt how to blanch almonds too. Popping them in boiling water for no longer than 60 seconds, then running them under a cold tap and popping their skins off like edamame beans. Then I chopped them in a handheld blender.

After I'd chopped the almonds, I used the same handheld blender to chop up the rest of the fruit.

Next I melted the butter until boiling point, then added in the sugar & let it bubble for a minute - forming an almost caramel. Removing from the heat I mixed in the fruits & nuts.

I put what I considered to be small spoonfuls of the mixture on the baking trays I'd set up and put them in the oven. After 5 minutes I removed them and pushed the pile of nuts down and used a knife to scoop the caramel mixture back towards the centre of where I set the dollop. However, after another 5 minutes in the oven they had spread uncontrollably across the baking sheet!! Whilst still hot I was able to rescue them by again, using a knife to draw the spreaded edges back towards a central point.

I was running out of time before I had to leave for a friends BBQ, so I cooled them on a wire rack for 15min before putting them in the fridge for 30min. Then, I quickly melted the chocolate in a bowl and used a teaspoon to coat the back of each florentine. I didn't bother with the wavy lines - it was a hot day & I knew they'd melt on our way there.

As it turns out, my husband really likes florentines (finally, a bake he's enjoyed!!) so we kept a few at home for later. They actually taste very good. Like the melting moments they are just a little sweet (from the fruit & almonds) but not overly, plus they contain fruit so they're basically one of your five a day.

If I made them again, I'd probably cook the butter/sugar mixture a little longer and give the florentines more space to spread on the baking sheets - smaller spoonfuls and more space.

Florentines

oil for greasing

25g glace cherries, chopped

100g cut mixed peel, finely chopped

50g flaked almonds

100g chopped almonds

25g sultanas

100g butter or margarine

100g caster sugar

2 tbsp double cream

100g plain chocolate

Line three or four baking sheets with oiled greaseproof paper. Set the oven at 180C/gas 4.

In a bowl, mix the cherries and mixed peel with the flaked and chopped almonds and the sultanas. Melt the butter or margarine in a small saucepan, add the sugar and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the fruit and nuts. Whip the cream in a seperate bowl, then fold it in.

Place small spoonfuls of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheets, leaving room for spreading. Bake for 8-10 minutes. After the biscuits have been cooking for about 5 minutes, neaten the edges by drawing them together (I used a butter knife). Leave the cooked biscuits on the baking sheets to firm up slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To finish, melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water and use to coat the flat underside of each biscuit. Mark into wavy lines with a fork as the chocolate cools.

Makes about twenty