- 50 g butter
- 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
- 1 tbsp honey or rice malt syrup/golden syrup
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 20 g (¾ cup) Corn Flakes
- 65 g (¾ cup) flaked almonds
- 50 g (¼ cup) glace cherries quartered
- 40 g (¼ cup) sultanas
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 100 g chocolate dark or milk, melted
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line 2 flat baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
Place the butter, caster sugar, honey and flour into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until the butter has melted and the sugar has started to dissolve. Alternatively you can use a saucepan and stovetop for this step. If using a Thermomix - melt the ingredients for 3 minutes, 60 degrees, Speed 2 (or until melted). Add the Corn Flakes, flaked almonds, glace cherries, sultanas and orange zest and mix until well combined. If using a Thermomix - add the Corn Flakes, flaked almonds, glace cherries, sultanas and orange zest and mix on Reverse, Speed 1 until combined (using the spatula to help mix). Spray a small 10cm round cutter with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Place the cutter onto the baking tray and add a large tablespoon of the mixture. Spread out. Carefully remove the cutter and repeat with the remaining mixture. Note: if you don't have a cutter, you can simply place spoonfuls of mixture directly onto the baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool completely (the biscuits will harden as they cool).
Once cooled, spread the melted chocolate onto the base of the biscuits and place into the fridge to set.
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS:
- The Florentines will seem soft and loose when they first come out of the oven, but they will harden and set as they cool.
- Careful measuring/weighing of the ingredients is important for success.
- Florentine biscuits spread as they bake. So be sure to allow enough space in between each one so that they don’t merge together in the oven.
- If you want your biscuits to be evenly shaped, you can also bake them in a muffin tin lined with a little baking paper and a coating of light oil spray.
- Don’t overcook them. Keep a close eye on them around the 13-minute mark. We want them to be firm with a crunchy ‘snap’, but overbaking them will either burn them or make them too hard and brittle.
- If they spread too much on the tray, you can fix them by using the cookie cutter to gently shape them while hot.
- Be sure to use baking paper to line your tray, or your biscuits will stick!
- Use real butter rather than margarine or dairy blends. Butter substitutions won’t brown or set as nicely.
- Storage - store the cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place. While best eaten in the first 1-2 days, they will keep this way for 1-2 weeks. If storing them in a small container, separate any layers with baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Freezing - Florentine biscuits can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. They will only take a few minutes to defrost, however the cornflakes will have softened after freezing.
Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg