Florentines

How to Make Florentines Recipe - preparation 15 minutes cooking time 16–20 minutes plus cooling

Makes 18

Ingredients:
75g/3oz/6 tbsp butter plus extra to grease
50g/2oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp double (heavy) cream
25g/1oz/¼ cup chopped mixed candied peel
4 tbsp mixed glacé (candied) cherries, roughly chopped
6 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
200g/7oz plain (semisweet) chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken into
pieces

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly butter two large baking sheets.

2 Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, then add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, candied peel, cherries, almonds and flour. Mix well.

3 Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart.

4 Bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes until spread out and golden brown. Leave on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and set aside until cold.

5 Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Spread over the underside of each Florentine and use a fork to make wavy lines.

6 Arrange them, chocolate-side up, on parchment paper and set aside until the chocolate sets.