Florentines
These rich and chewy confections are an old-world classic, unusual in that they are first cooked and then baked. A mélange of ingredients, including honey and candied orange peel, is used to make them; their underside is covered with bittersweet chocolate.
Recipe information
Yield
24 3-inch florentines
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Position the oven racks to the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly oil or spray the inside of 2 muffin pans with twelve 2 1/2-inch cavities each.
Step 2
Combine the butter, sugar, honey, and cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until it registers 248°F on a sugar thermometer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Immediately add the almonds, candied orange peel, and flour, and stir vigorously until thoroughly blended (about 1 minute), then remove from the heat.
Step 3
Place a generous tablespoon of the mixture into each cavity of the muffin pans. Dip the back of a spoon in a bowl of cold water, shake off the excess, and press the mound in each cavity to flatten.
Step 4
Bake until golden brown (about 10 minutes) then remove the pans from the oven and place on cooling racks for 5 minutes. Invert the muffin pans to remove the florentines. If the florentines are too cold and do not release easily, return the pans to the oven for 1 minute and try to remove them again. Place the florentines on cooling racks.
Step 5
Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25–30). Using a flexible-blade spatula, spread the bottom of each florentine with a tablespoon of the tempered chocolate, then use a pastry comb to make a wavy pattern in the chocolate. Place the florentines on the baking sheet, chocolate side up, and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set (about 10 minutes). In a tightly covered container, between sheets of waxed paper, the florentines will keep for 1 week at room temperature.
