Despite the seemingly eponymous name, not much is known about these elegant treats except that Florentines do not hail from Florence. Although their origin is a mystery, the thin, crisp, and delicate nature of the caramelized almond delicacies suggests both French pastry technique and a place on the afternoon tea menu.
This recipe comes from The Official Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook
Downton's Chocolate Florentines
This the thin, crisp, and delicate nature of the caramelized almond delicacies owns a place on the afternoon tea menu. This recipe comes from The Official Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook
Servings 24 cookies
Ingredients
For the Florentines
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/4 cup sliced blanced almonds
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- To make the Florentines, in a small bowl, stir together the zest and flour until the zest is coated. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, cream, sugar and honey. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds, followed by the flour mixture. The batter will be thick. Drop the batter by 2-teaspoon scoops onto the prepared pans, spacing the Florentines about 3 inches apart. Flatten each Florentine with the back of the spoon.
- Place one sheet pan in the oven and bake the cookies until they spread to about 3 inches in diameter, are bubbling vigorously, and are light brown at the edges, about 14 minutes. Let the Florentines cool on the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes Using a wide spatula, transfer them to the rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the second sheet pan.
- To make the glaze, combine the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl placed over (not touching) barely simmering water in a saucepan and heat, stirring often, until the chocolate and butter are melted about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Let cool to barely lukewarm before using.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Dip half of each Florentine into the lukewarm glaze and place it on the prepared pan. Let stand until the glaze sets, about 30 minutes.
Notes
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