Apricot Florentines With Chocolate Glaze Food

FLORENTINES

Steps:

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the almonds, flour and zest in a medium bowl. Stir the sugar, butter, cream, and honey in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the almond mixture. Cool the batter for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using 2 teaspoons of batter for each cookie, spoon 8 mounds of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart (the cookies will spread). Flatten the batter slightly with your finger.
• Bake the cookies until they are lacy and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Gently slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a rack and cool completely. Transfer the cookies to paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, lining the baking sheets with clean parchment for each batch. (The cookies can be made up to this point 2 months ahead. Cool completely, then store airtight in the freezer. Defrost before continuing.)
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Spread the melted chocolate over the bottom of 1 cookie. Top with a second cookie, bottom side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with the remaining cookies and chocolate.

FLORENTINES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, mix together 1/2 cup each of heavy cream and sugar and 3 tablespoons butter and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove it from the heat and stir in 1 1/4 cups finely chopped almonds, 3/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel, and 1/3 cup flour. Drop the batter from a tablespoon into mounds about 3 inches apart on oiled and lightly floured cookie sheets and flatten each cookie with a wet spatula. Bake the cookies in a moderate oven (350°F) for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack, let them cool completely, and spread them with chocolate glaze. Chill them.
• Chocolate Glaze
• Melt 1 ounce each of unsweetened chocolate and sweet cooking chocolate over simmering water. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon honey and stir the glaze until the butter is melted. For an easier glaze, use melted bittersweet chocolate.

APRICOT-MUSTARD GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine the apricot jam, mustard, vinegar and lots of black pepper in the jam jar or a mason jar. Shake until well blended.
• Use the glaze like you would a BBQ sauce. Brush on or pour over pieces of grilled or pan-seared chicken, pork chop or salmon just before it's done cooking and let cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

APRICOT FLORENTINES WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and place in the 350-degree oven, shaking the sheet occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the dried apricots and the flour. Pulse until the apricots are finely diced. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, sugar and butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted. Increase the heat to medium-high, bringing the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the almonds, almond extract and floured apricot pieces, stirring to combine. Drop the batter by the tablespoon, at least 2 inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon dipped in water, flatten each cookie until it's smooth. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let them cool just until they are solid enough to be transferred to a rack to cool completely.
• To make the chocolate glaze, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 cup of the chocolate. Remove it from the heat and add the remaining chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Using a spatula, spread the bottom of each cooled cookie with the glaze. Run the tines of a fork through the chocolate to create a wavy pattern and place the cookies back on the rack, chocolate side up, to set. (They may be refrigerated to make them set faster.) Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper.

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED FLORENTINES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Combine the almond flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Combine the sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved; continue to boil 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the sugar mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
• Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Arrange at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies spread out and turn golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Make the glaze: Microwave the semisweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate microwave-safe bowls in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Transfer the white chocolate to a small resealable bag. Flip the cookies over so the smooth side is up. Spread each cookie with a thin layer of semisweet chocolate. Snip a corner of the white chocolate bag and pipe lines on the semisweet chocolate; drag a toothpick across the lines. Let set, about 2 hours.

FLORENTINES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour then add the cherries, flaked almonds, pistachios and orange zest.
• Scoop 10 flat tbsp of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving room for them to spread. You will need to do these in batches. Bake for 10 mins until golden. Leave to cool for 2 mins until firm enough to lift onto a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering saucepan of water or in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Turn the florentines over on the wire rack. Spoon chocolate onto the base of each florentine and gently spread to the edges. When the chocolate is firm enough to hold its shape, use a fork to draw wavy lines across the chocolate. Leave to set and then store in an airtight container.