1 Video | Photo: Florentines (Italy) Recipe
These Tuscan cookies are a Christmas classic. They're nutty, lacy and crisp, as well as deceptively simple to make. Drizzling them with chocolate turns them into the perfect holiday indulgence.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups sliced, blanched almonds (about 5 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping, optional:
- 2 to 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, but not pasty. Stir together the nuts, flour, zest and salt in a large bowl.
Put the sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour mixture into almond mixture and stir just to combine. Set aside until cool enough to handle, 30 minutes.
Scoop rounded teaspoons (for 3-inch cookies) or rounded tablespoons (for 6-inch cookies) of batter and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they spread.
Bake 1 pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color throughout, rotating pans halfway through baking time, about 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve.
Optional chocolate topping:
Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very low simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, about 1 to 2 minutes more.)
For sandwiches: Drop about 1/2 teaspoon chocolate onto on the flat side of half of the cookies and press together with remaining halves. Return to rack and let chocolate set.
For chocolate decor: Drizzle melted chocolate over Florentines as desired. Set aside at room temperature until chocolate is set.
Busy baker's tips: Store baked cookies carefully, separated by parchment or waxed paper, in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Florentines are best stored separated from moist cookies and cakes.
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By mikfremor_5603239
Washington, DC
on December 20, 2011
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These cookies are really good. I made some for the first time last week and am now adding this recipe to my traditional Christmas cookie giveaway!
By jovanna_2562938
Long Island, NY
on December 18, 2011
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What a great recipe, almost as good as bakery. For me, that's good enough for this elegant cookie. I like them even w/o chocolate. This is the one cookie that gets eaten up the fastest, addictive. The second time I made these I scooped the cooled filling into a plastic pastry bag, sprayed with oil first. It made the cookies get onto the sheet faster. Baked exactly 10 mins and 30 secs to take out golden. Even if some cookies bake into one another, it's ok. You can break apart when cool, it still looks fine. Let sit on parchment on a rack for 5 or 10 mins and they peel off easily. As recipe states, do NOT store these with other, softer cookies or they will lose their crunch.
By KindaLikeThat
Greeley, CO
on December 15, 2011
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These were a hit! I love the orange hints paired with the almonds. Used sliced, unblanched almonds, and they still turned out great.
Easy and straightforward to make.
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