Florentines have to be one of my favorite holiday cookies. They're thin, crispy and delicious! This version gets dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with a light dusting of Fleur de Sel direct from Paris thanks to my friend, Teresa.
The orange zest is a delicious complement to the dark chocolate & almonds and really brightens up the flavor. Added bonus is there's no flour in this recipe so they're gluten free (just make sure your powdered sugar doesn't have any hidden gluten)!
If you're looking for an easy and delicious cookie to make this holiday, this one is it!
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I hope my partner for this month's Leftover's Club, Johanna, enjoys them! Johanna has a great blog, Notes from a Messy Kitchen, with lots of yummy recipes. She sent me the most delicious Blueberry Quinoa Cornbread! Be sure to stop by her blog and check out the recipe...
Dark Chocolate Almond Florentines with Orange Zest and Fleur de Sel
Makes approx 18-20 cookies depending upon size
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced almonds
Zest of 1 medium orange
2 egg whites, room temp
2/3 cup powdered sugar
7 ounces Dark Chocolate Chips (I used my favorite, Ghiradelli!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300f
Line baking sheets with silpat or silicone baking mat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the almonds, powdered sugar, orange zest in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Add the egg whites and fold gently with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined being careful not to break the nuts.
Wet your hands with cold water and place 1/4 cup sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets about 5 inches apart. Use your fingertips to carefully "spread" each ball into a thin layer. The cookies should be about 3" wide and there should be no gaps/spaces between the almonds - try to make sure the almonds are touching so they adhere together while baking. Continue to wet your fingertips during the spreading process as needed to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
Bake at 300f for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a wire cooling rack to cool. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet when cool.
To decorate -
Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave. Spread chocolate on the bottom of each cookie and sprinkle lightly with a little Fleur de Sel (flaked sea salt would also work). Place the cookies chocolate side up on a cooling rack and allow chocolate to set.
Since I was shipping these cookies, I was concerned about the chocolate melting and getting messy during transit so I just drizzled chocolate on half of the cookies to cut down on the mess. Either way you decorate them, they're delicious!
Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to 2 days.
Adapted from Blue Eyed Baker & Ottolenghi
Yum! I've never had something like this before, looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shaina! You should really give them a try. They're the perfect holiday cookie. : )
DeleteAny zest along with fleur de sel is a dream!
ReplyDeleteSERIOUS props to you on these! The texture is spot on - just the right crunch, and I love the subtle sweetness of the dark chocolate paired with the orange and savory of the salt. These are the type of thing I'd buy to keep around as a little sweet treat!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed them, Johanna! I thought they might be right up your alley - not too sweet and with lots of flavor : ) Happy holidays!!
DeleteI love florentines but have never dared to make them myself! You make it look so easy.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, you make making macarons look easy so it's a tie! : ) seriously though, you could totally make them
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