I made these cookies during the holidays, as they are indeed a Christmas classic. However, they are so good and easy to make that I will sure bake them again soon. What first captured my curiosity was the name of these treats, which is a clear reference to the city of Florence in Italy, as if they were originated from there. The title of the recipe that I found in a magazine however was not confirming this point, since it says "Florentines from France". I searched the internet to find a solution to the mystery and it seems it is a very interesting story well explained by food writer Emiko Davies in "The truth about Florentines" published in the Honest Cooking on line magazine. As she clears up the main ingredients of these biscuits are typically French, such as cream, butter, just a bit of flour and chocolate and the base is "essentially a roux, a oh-so-French cooking technique". These cookies were created in the late 17th century in France and named Florentines in honor to the Florentine queen, Caterina de' Medici, like some other dishes (eggs Florentine, quiche Florentine). What I love of Florentines is their rich taste of almonds, candied fruit and chocolate, a crispy bite with a tender heart, a perfect match for your favorite tea or coffee. To me Florentines are a marvellous present... not just for Christmas. Here's the recipe!
Florentines
(makes 16-18 cookies)
100 g candied orange ( or lemon or citron) zest
80 g sugar
150 g ground almonds
50 g almond flakes
50 g white flour 00
50 g butter
150 g fresh cream
150 g dark chocolate
Pour cream, sugar and butter in a small pot and bring to a boil stirring slowly. Remove from fire and add the flour continuing to stir. Chop the candied fruit and add them to the compound together with the ground almonds and the flakes. Pour spoonfuls of this paste on a plate covered with baking paper, leaving enough space between one another. Use a spoon to flatten the little piles, each time rinsing the spoon out with cold water. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180 C for about 10 minutes, till you see the rim getting brown. When ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool down. Melt the chocolate in a bain- marie and brush the bottom of the cookies. Let them dry upside down on a grill. If you like you can decorate the front with chocolate using a baking syringe.
100 g candied orange ( or lemon or citron) zest
80 g sugar
150 g ground almonds
50 g almond flakes
50 g white flour 00
50 g butter
150 g fresh cream
150 g dark chocolate
Pour cream, sugar and butter in a small pot and bring to a boil stirring slowly. Remove from fire and add the flour continuing to stir. Chop the candied fruit and add them to the compound together with the ground almonds and the flakes. Pour spoonfuls of this paste on a plate covered with baking paper, leaving enough space between one another. Use a spoon to flatten the little piles, each time rinsing the spoon out with cold water. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 180 C for about 10 minutes, till you see the rim getting brown. When ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool down. Melt the chocolate in a bain- marie and brush the bottom of the cookies. Let them dry upside down on a grill. If you like you can decorate the front with chocolate using a baking syringe.
