Dark chocolate florentines

 Christmas time is an important milestone in the calendar. For many, it's a time to catch up with those we care about - friends and family, and traditionally this catch-up includes the exchange of gifts.

The tradition of gift-giving has been recorded since antiquity. According to Homer, the concept of a duty to be kind and generous to your fellow beings was a force for social good and helped maintain order. The fact that gift-giving was widely practiced across ancient and diverse cultures, tribes, religions, languages, and countries means that the act of giving is much more fundamental to the human condition. (https://thegiftcollective.com/blog/a-short-history-of-gift-giving) 

Some families use a Kris Kringle system, or a "bad Santa" game, others combine to give each person one large gift, others give gifts individually. Gift-giving can be a point of great stress for some. Will they like it? Is it the right size? How much do I spend? (not always including how much can I afford?). Advertisements for Christmas often start in October, with retailers of all descriptions enticing you with "the perfect gift ideas" - often for items you never knew existed.

For me, the joy is always in the giving - in the anticipation of seeing someone smile when they open your gift. Who doesn't smile when they receive a gift made with love and chocolate!

These easily made treats keep well in an airtight container. You can change the fruit and nut varieties to suit your taste, pantry, and budget. I have chosen fruits and nuts to give the Christmas colours of red and green.

To see how to make these wonderful biscuits, click on the YouTube link below the recipe.

Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year to all.

Makes 12

• 100 g slivered almonds

• 70 g shelled pistachios

• 35 g glacé cherries

• 35 g dried cranberries

• 1/2 tsp orange zest

• 45 g unsalted butter

• 60 g sugar

• 1 tbl honey

• 15 g plain flour (GF)

• 75 g 70% dark chocolate

• Butter to grease the tin

12 strips of baking paper 2cm wide x 10 cm long

Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced.

Grease a 12 hole non-stick muffin tin with butter. Place a strip of baking paper in each hole with both ends sticking out the top.

In a large bowl place almonds, pistachios, cherries, cranberries and orange zest and mix well.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, mix together butter, honey sugar and flour until the sugar dissolves and butter has melted.

Pour the butter mixture over the fruit and nuts in the bowl and mix well until everything is well coated.

Dollop heaped dessert spoons of mixture into each hole of the tin.

Bake 15-20 minutes until golden. You may need to turn your tray around at the 15 minute mark.

Allow to cool completely in the tin. Then use the paper strip to gently lift them out.

Break up the chocolate into a heat proof bowl and melt in the microwave (approx. 90 seconds, but check after 1 minute). Dip the base of the biscuits in the chocolate and place chocolate side up on a baking tray. 

Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.

Updated October 2023