Florentines fall into this category. These nutty, toffee-like cookies sandwiched with a layer of dark chocolate are basically everything my partner and I look for in a cookie. Thus, they disappear like magic once made. A total danger for our waistline. Florentines are not only one of our own favorites but they’re also the favorites of many of my friends as well. And as long as I have a purpose and friends to give them to, I’m happy to head into the kitchen to bake away.
Chocolate Florentine Cookies: Tips for Success
These cookies have a reputation for being persnickety and difficult to make but there are some tips and tricks that I’ve developed that make them easier to create:
When melting the butter and sugar to make the cookie “batter,” you really only need to melt them together. No need to bring to a boil or a specific temperature. Baking the cookies in the oven will bring them to their crunchy, brittle state.Florentines tend to lump up in the middle and bake unevenly if you don’t spread them out. Dip your finger in water and spread the batter into a round circle, with the nuts in a single layer on the pan. (The batter can be sticky to work with, so dipping your fingers in water first helps with this step.)If you have a silicone baking mat (like a Silpat) this is the perfect recipe for it. The silicon mat insulates the Florentines, helping them to bake more evenly. But don’t worry if you don’t have one. Just bake it on parchment paper and keep a close eye on them. They tend to cook a little faster on the parchment and can go from golden brown to burnt quickly.Once you bake them, fix any wonky Florentines that aren’t perfect circles. You can do this by lightly nudging them into a round shape with a spatula. They firm up quickly as they cool, so work fast!
Also, be forewarned that you – and your kitchen – will likely get a little messy with the melted chocolate. It’s just inevitable! I highly recommend wearing either an apron or old clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. In the end, these cookies are worth the effort! Bits of almonds crunch in your mouth between bits of toffee caramel and dark chocolate. It’s almost like candy in cookie form. Which is why they disappear so fast in our home. And why I always need a friend around to give them away to.
Other Nuts to Use in Florentines
Traditional Florentines call for almonds, and they are certainly what people expect when they reach for the cookie. However, you can switch up the nuts if you want — just make sure to chop whatever nut you’re using into uniform sizes. Experiment with these nuts.
PeanutsHazelnutsPistachiosPecans
More Italian Desserts to Try!
Apple Crostata Zabaglione Classic Tiramisu Amaretti Cookies Ginger Almond Biscotti
Making these cookies goes more quickly if you have at least two baking sheets so that you can prep the next batch while the previous batch is in the oven.
2 1/2 cups (290g) slivered almonds 1/4 cup (35g) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional but recommended) 3/4 cup (150g) sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick or 115g) unsalted butter 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To finish:
8 to 10 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the nuts by hand or place them in a ziplock bag and crush them with a wooden rolling pin until they are the right size. Add the dry almond mixture and stir until incorporated. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Remove the pan from the oven once the edges of the cookies start to darken and brown and transfer to a cooling rack. Be careful as the cookies go from done to burnt fairly fast. While the cookies are still warm from the oven, take a look at them and see if any of them are not quite round. If they are not as nicely shaped as you would like, use a spatula to carefully nudge the sides of the cookie into a round circle. You will have to work fairly quickly as the cookies firm up as they cool. It helps to use a very thin, flat spatula so you can easily slide under each cookie. Also, if you have a wire rack that has crisscross wires, this is ideal for cookies like this since any under-baked cookie will slump a little bit on racks with more widely-spaced wires. Let the cookies cool completely. Once the chocolate has melted, pick two cookies that are roughly the same size and smear a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of one of them. Place the matching cookie bottom on top and set the cookie sandwich on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Drizzle any remaining chocolate over the Florentines.
