6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fragrant honey
1/2 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup mixed sun-dried cranberries, cherries, and blueberries
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 oz. premium bittersweet chocolate
2-3 non-stick baking sheets or line with parchment or foil
Preheat the oven to 350. Put the butter, sugar, and honey in a saucepan and melt over low heat. When the sugar has dissolved, bring almost to a boil, then take the pan off the stove.
Stir in the almonds and fruit, then tip in the flour and mix thoroughly.
Spoon heaping teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each blob.
Flatten them slightly with the back of your spoon so that they cook evenly and bake for 10-12 minutes until the florentines have spread and are turning brown at the edges. Take them out of the oven, cool for about 3 minutes, then carefully lift them off the baking sheets and ransfer them to a wire rack. When they are completely cold, break the chocolate into squares, place it in a medium heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave or over a pan of barely simmering water, taking care that the bowl doesn’t touch the water Lay the cookies flat-side upwards on asheet of waxed paper and brush or spread the chocolate over them with a pastry brush or a flat-bladed knife. Leave them out until the chocolate sets, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Makes 20-24 biscuits.
Wine Pairings
2008 Vin Rouge