GREAT British Bake Off winner Candice Brown’s new book Comfort: Delicious Bakes and Family Treats (Ebury Press, £20) is packed with goodies. We love her take on florentines.
“This is a handwritten recipe from my nan. It was perfect – and she was too,” says Candice. “Feel free to change the fruit and nuts if you want, although why would you when it’s perfect the way she wrote it?”
You’ll need
60g unsalted butter
170g golden caster sugar
30g plain flour
150ml double cream
115g flaked almonds
115g whole toasted almonds or pecans, roughly chopped
85g flaked coconut
85g dried apricots, chopped
60g dried cherries
200g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5/375°F.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. When the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is golden and bubbling, add the flour and mix until smooth over a low heat. Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream, stirring until smooth.
Add the nuts, coconut, apricots and cherries and mix well until everything is combined and covered.
Line four baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Drop the mixture in heaped teaspoonfuls on to the paper, leaving about 2cm between each florentine. Place in the oven near the top and bake for 12 to 15 minutes (switch baking sheets around halfway through).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for three to four minutes before transferring to a wire rack – use a flat palette knife to move the florentines. Leave to cool completely.
Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Coat the flat underside of each florentine with chocolate and allow to set slightly before zigzagging a fork across the chocolate to make a pattern. Then leave, chocolate-side up, to set.
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