Florentine Cupcakes Food

FLORENTINE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole 2-tablespoon capacity flat-based patty pan with paper cases.
• Using an hand electric mixer, cream the butter and caster sugar until it is pale and creamy; add the egg and beat until the ingredients are well-combined; sift the flour over the butter mixture and stir gently to combine; stir in the cream; two-thirds fill each paper case with the mixture and smooth the surface.
• The Florentine Topping: Combine the butter, brown sugar and cream in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl; microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minutes or until smooth; stir in the flour, almonds, apricots and cherries and spoon the topping over the cupcakes.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden; allow to completely cool in the pan; then transfer to a serving plate.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a snap-lock bag, seal and snip off 1 corner. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cakes and serve.

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 (ITALY)

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, but not pasty. Stir together the nuts, flour, zest and salt in a large bowl.
• Put the sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour mixture into almond mixture and stir just to combine. Set aside until cool enough to handle, 30 minutes.
• Scoop rounded teaspoons (for 3-inch cookies) or rounded tablespoons (for 6-inch cookies) of batter and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they spread.
• Bake 1 pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color throughout, rotating pans halfway through baking time, about 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve.
• Optional chocolate topping: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very low simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, about 1 to 2 minutes more.)
• For sandwiches: Drop about 1/2 teaspoon chocolate onto on the flat side of half of the cookies and press together with remaining halves. Return to rack and let chocolate set.
• For chocolate decor: Drizzle melted chocolate over Florentines as desired. Set aside at room temperature until chocolate is set.

FLORENTINE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line 6-hole Texas (¾-cup/180ml) muffin pan with paper cases.
• Stir chocolate and the water in small saucepan over low heat until smooth.
• Beat butter, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted flour and cocoa, ground almonds and warm chocolate mixture.
• Spoon mixture into cases; smooth surface. Bake about 35 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make milk chocolate ganache. Place chocolate in small heatproof bowl. Bring cream to the boil in small saucepan; pour over chocolate, stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature until ganache is spreadable.
• To make florentine topping, combine ingredients in small bowl.
• Spread cakes with ganache, top with florentine mixture; drizzle with melted chocolate.

FLORENTINE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• Put the sifted flour, baking powder, oil, milk, grated orange rind, saffron, sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and beat together thoroughly until all the lumps are gone and the batter is smooth and thick.
• Grease a shallow rectangular baking pan and pour in the mixture.
• Bake for half an hour.
• Sprinkle plenty of icing sugar on top.
• If you prefer it sweeter, you can slice the cake in two (horizontally!) and fill it with whatever you like (whipped cream, chocolate icing, etc).

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.

QUICHE FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Prick pie shell with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook until heated through and dark green, about 5 minutes. Drain well and let cool.
• Combine Swiss cheese and flour in a bag. Seal and shake until cheese is coated.
• Whisk milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Stir in spinach and flour-coated Swiss cheese. Pour into the cooled pie shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until middle is set, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing and serving.