Mini Florentines

Florentines are one of my all time favourite things. So we’re back again this Christmas with mini ones, which isn’t as straightforward as it sounds! But they’re still quick and easy with a wow factor beyond effort gone in.

I love the way the melted chocolate dribbles slowly through the gaps in the caramelised fruits and almonds and sets as yummy little nodules amongst it all.

20 mins interspersed with 4hrs cooling & setting time | makes 30 | molto facile 

Ingredients

75g butter 
5 tbsp golden caster sugar 
3 tsp plain flour 
50g blanched almonds, finely chopped
50g mixed peel, finely chopped
25g sultanas, finely chopped
25g dried cherries, finely chopped
80g dark chocolate

Method

Melt the butter with the golden caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved and then mix in 3 tsp plain flour. Quickly in with the almonds, mixed peel, sultanas and cherries, stir.

Plop half teaspoons of the mixture – be strict with yourself – widely spaced on a greaseproof lined baking tray and bake for 7 mins. You’ll probs have to do this in batches.

Neaten the edges as they come out of the oven if you like, by pushing them in with a spatular, then leave them where they are to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate over a gently simmering pan and spread over the flat side of the florentines, score with a knife and leave to set.

The how to pictures are from last year’s post when we made full size florentines but the principle is the same, we’re doing half teaspoon instead of a whole teaspoons worth of the mixture