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
Course Afternoon Tea
Cuisine French
Keyword Afternoon Tea
Servings 24cookies
Ingredients
For the Florentines
1tsp.orange zest
1/4cupFlour
5tbsp.unsalted buttercut into pieces
1/4cupheavy cream
1/2cupsugar
2tbsp.honey
1/4 cupsliced blanced almonds
For the Chocolate Glaze
6ozsemisweet chocolatefinely chopped
1/2cupunsalted butter
1tbsp.light corn syrup
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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.