GLUTEN-FREE FLORENTINES
A month or so ago – in lockdown – a friend mentioned we’d do well to try the Florentines from a nearby cake shop. Some advice that was! Since that time my partner and I began sharing a Florentine every night after dinner.
We do have to set our limits right? But they were good.
Then I remembered I had a recipe for Florentines in that special box of cuttings I keep: Recipes I intend to cook one day and never do.
But with time on my hands, and the recipe in them, I was on the case. What I didn’t have at my fingertips was a dozen 10cm diameter tart rings.
Fortunately, the local supermarket’s stock of non-stick egg-rings proved to be even better, because they were only 7.5cm diameter. Being smaller, I figured, meant we could justify having a whole Florentine of our own every night. Perfect!
The recipe I found came from Café Fratelli Paradiso, via Gourmet Traveller some years ago. This version is simplified, and made for the smaller rings, but it does make sensationally good Florentines. Why not join us after dinner?
Jan
P.S. We’re still only having half each.
FANCY A FLORENTINE?
Makes 12 x 7.5 diameter Florentines
60 gm caster sugar
40 ml pouring cream
40 gm unsalted butter
40 gm honey
20 gm liquid glucose
140 gm flaked almonds
Red glacé cherries, halved, to decorate
Roasted, blanched almonds to decorate
160 gm dark couverture chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
Preheat oven to 170°C (conventional). Line a large oven tray (or 2 smaller ones) with baking paper and place 12 non-stick egg-rings on the paper.
Weigh the sugar, cream, butter, honey and glucose into a medium saucepan.
Heat the pan and stir until the sugar dissolves and the butter is incorporated. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring to the boil, cooking for 4 – 6 minutes. The mixture will bubble beautifully and turn the colour of rich toffee.
Remove pan from the heat and quickly stir the flaked almonds into the caramel. Working as quickly as you can, add tablespoonfuls of the almond mixture to the egg-rings.
Do 3 or 4 at a time, pressing the nuts down inside the rings with the back of a spoon. (The rest of the almond mixture will keep more pliable in the pan.) Don’t worry too much how even they are though because the caramel will melt again in the oven.
Continue until each ring has its layer of almond and caramel in it, then decorate with as many cherry halves and roasted almonds as you like, pressing them gently into the toffee.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before removing rings and cooling Florentines on a rack.
When the biscuits have cooled completely place the chocolate in a microwave-safe ceramic bowl. Cover the bowl with a sheet of paper towel and microwave the chocolate in 30 second bursts, stirring the chocolate in between.
When the chocolate is about ¾ melted beat it vigorously until smooth. (With my microwave on 600W it takes about 4 x 30-second hits plus 10 seconds to reach that point.)
Then, with a spatula or flat knife lay a coating of chocolate on the underside of each Florentine, smoothing it to a flat surface. Allow chocolate to set while you coat the remaining biscuits.
When the sheen goes off the chocolate recoat each one, and use the tines of a fork to produce the characteristic swirling pattern Florentines normally have.
Leave them to set for 20 – 30 minutes. Florentines will keep in an airtight container for at least a week.
TIP:
If you happen to have a dozen 10cm rings, use the amounts below and follow the recipe above. Lucky you, bigger Florentines.
75 gm caster sugar
50 ml pouring cream
50 gm butter, coarsely chopped
50 gm honey
25 gm liquid glucose
175 gm flaked almonds
Red glacé cherries, halved, to decorate
Roasted blanched almonds, to decorate
200 gm dark couverture chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped