Giant Almond Florentines
Submitted by wilybil
Giant almond Florentines bake whole 8-inch caramel-almond rounds in foil pie pans, then finish with a chocolate-coated bottom. Crisp, lacy, and dramatic. The classic European cookie scaled up to plate-size.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
3 hrsGiant almond Florentines flip the script on the classic Italian cookie. Instead of bite-size lacy disks, you bake six full 8-inch rounds in foil pie pans, each one a thin sheet of caramelized honey-butter studded with almonds and finished with a layer of chocolate on the bottom.
The foil pans are non-negotiable. The recipe specifically calls for them because they let you press up from underneath to release the fragile cookie in one piece. Try this in metal or ceramic pie tins and you’ll end up with shards.
The caramel is the engine. Butter, sugar, honey, and heavy cream cook to soft-ball stage for about 90 seconds, just enough to create a thick syrup that holds the almonds in suspension as the whole thing crisps in the oven.
Chocolate-coating wafers (sometimes called confectioners’ coating) on the bottom set up shiny and snap cleanly, where regular melted chocolate would streak and bloom. Worth the trip to the candy supply store.
Pro Tips
- Boil the caramel for the full 1.5 minutes after it reaches a boil. Underboiled caramel produces sticky, soft Florentines that won’t crisp.
- Use sliced blanched almonds, not slivered. Sliced almonds lay flatter and create the lacy, dramatic visual that defines a Florentine.
- Bake three pans at a time on a single rack. Stacking racks creates uneven browning, and the difference between rich-golden and burnt is about 60 seconds.
- Refrigerate the baked rounds before unmolding. The cold makes the caramel firm enough to release cleanly. Warm Florentines will tear.
Variations
- Use temperer dark chocolate instead of confectioners’ coating for a deeper, more bittersweet bottom.
- Add a teaspoon of orange zest to the caramel before stirring in almonds for a classic Italian Florentine flavor.
- Mix in a quarter cup of chopped candied orange peel or dried cranberries with the almonds for color and chew.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Grease six 8-inch foil pie pans.
Foil pans must be used for easy removal of baked florentines in 1 piece.
In a medium-large heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, honey, and cream.
Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Cook 1½ minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Stir in almonds.
Divide mixture evenly among greased pie pans.
Using back of wooden spoon, pat evenly into bottom of pans. Bake pans 3 at a time, on a single oven rack, 10 to 14 minutes, or until a rich golden brown.
Rotate pans during baking, if necessary, to avoid overbrowning.
Let cool completely in pans.
Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes for ease in unmolding.
With fingers, carefully press in pan bottoms from underneath and pop florentines out in 1 piece.
Refrigerate florentines, stacked between layers of wax paper until thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours.
Spread melted chocolate coating over bottoms of chilled florentines.
Let stand until chocolate is set.
Wrap each florentine separately in plastic wrap.
Store in refrigerator.
NOTE: Use melted chocolate-coating wafers, which are available at cake decorating and candy supply stores, to spread on the bottoms of florentines for best results.
This type of chocolate will stay shiny and give your florentines a professional look.
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