FLORENTINES
I've been making these cookies for about 8 years now for the holidays. Sweet and chewy with bits of candied fruit and almonds and a layer of chocolate on the back have been a hit with my family and friends.
INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbs Butter
1/3 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Tbs Honey
1 cup Sliced Almonds
1/2 cup Candied Fruit-Chopped
1/4 cup Flour
3/4 cup Chocolate Chips
2 Tbs Shortening
1/3 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Tbs Honey
1 cup Sliced Almonds
1/2 cup Candied Fruit-Chopped
1/4 cup Flour
3/4 cup Chocolate Chips
2 Tbs Shortening
DIRECTIONS:
In medium saucepan bring the butter, milk, sugar, and honey to a roiling boil stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in the almonds, candied fruit and flour.
Heat oven to 350 F.
Prepare a couple baking sheets. There are options. #1 Grease and flour your baking sheets for each batch of cookies; or #2 use a parchment paper or those handy silicone liners and no grease or flour need to slow you down.
I have chosen the parchment paper method. I used 2 sheets and one baking tray and alternated between them. So while one batch was cooking the other batch was cooling. The cookies were removed when cool enough to handle.
Now drop dough by level tbs onto prepared sheet. Spread to about 3' circles. This doesn't have to be precise, no one is going to care it the cookies are shaped funny.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or til lightly brown. Cool on the parchment for a couple of minutes then transfer to cooling racks.
Prepare a couple baking sheets. There are options. #1 Grease and flour your baking sheets for each batch of cookies; or #2 use a parchment paper or those handy silicone liners and no grease or flour need to slow you down.
I have chosen the parchment paper method. I used 2 sheets and one baking tray and alternated between them. So while one batch was cooking the other batch was cooling. The cookies were removed when cool enough to handle.
Now drop dough by level tbs onto prepared sheet. Spread to about 3' circles. This doesn't have to be precise, no one is going to care it the cookies are shaped funny.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or til lightly brown. Cool on the parchment for a couple of minutes then transfer to cooling racks.
CHOCOLATE LAYER:
In a sauce pan on low to med heat melt the chocolate chips and shortening stirring occasionally. I used coconut oil instead of the shortening and wasn't to impressed with the results. The chocolate layer was to soft to be left out of the fridge for any length of time. I really like the Spectrum shortening, but any shortening will do fine.
Now that the cookies are cool, carefully remove them from the rack and turn over. On the bottoms spread the chocolate all over the cookie. Keep them upside down until firm. If you want to be a bit fancy you can take a fork and swirl it about before the chocolate is firm. Make any designs you like. In the pics you can see I tried, but the chocolate was to soft. The second pic of the cookies on the rack show some pattern. After about the 3rd or 4th try I gave up. Just my children and I eating them and they don't care much for fancy. LOL!
Now that the cookies are cool, carefully remove them from the rack and turn over. On the bottoms spread the chocolate all over the cookie. Keep them upside down until firm. If you want to be a bit fancy you can take a fork and swirl it about before the chocolate is firm. Make any designs you like. In the pics you can see I tried, but the chocolate was to soft. The second pic of the cookies on the rack show some pattern. After about the 3rd or 4th try I gave up. Just my children and I eating them and they don't care much for fancy. LOL!
BEAUTIFUL!
Now there is only one thing to do. Grab a cup of tea and a couple cookies and enjoy!