Strawberry Florentine Tower Food

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.

STRAWBERRY FLORENTINE TOWER

Steps:

• 1. ALMOND LACE TOWER: Cream togeather the sugar and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Gradually add the flour in small incriments untill 50% incorperated. Slowly stream in the corn syrup. Using a bowl scraper, smooth a thin layer of the patter onto a "Silpat", sprinkle with sliced almonds, and bake in a 350F oven. Watch it carefully, until it becomes brown. Working quickly, remove the almond lace from the oven, and while the lace is still hot enough to mould, cut out strips with a pizza cutter, and wrape around a cylender to the desire shape. Allow to cool and harden. If the lace hardens before you can mould it, place it back in the oven until it softens again.
• 2. ALMOND MACAROON: Make a classic merangue. Whip the egg whites with the whip attachment on high speet untill frothy. Slowly add the suger and beat on medium speed until medium peaks are achieved. Fold in chopped almonds. Pipe onto a "Silpat" or parchment lined baking sheet, and bake in the oven at 350F until set.
• 3. CHEESE MOUSELINE: Cream togeather the creamcheese and the sugar. Add the citrus oils and zest, and the grand marnier. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
• 4. MASCERATED STRAWBERRIES: Place the diced strawberries, sugar, and grand marnier in a bowl. Coat the strawberries with the liquid, and allow to mascerate for at least 30 minutes.
• 5. SUGAR SPIRAL: Melt the isomalt and water until isomalt is clear and liquid. Working quicky, using a spoon, scoop up some of the melted isomalt and drizzle it onto a piece of parchment paper, making a spiral or star shape. Allow to cool and harden, and remove from parchment.
• 6. MARZAPAN TWIG: Place each marzapan sphear on the end of a wooden skewer. Melt togeather the water and isomalt until liquid, then stir in the red powder food coloring until the sugar becomes uniformly red. Working quickly, dip the marzipan sphear into the isomalt, then allow the isomalt to drip. If possible, place the skewer on the edge of the counter, weighted down with a pan, and allow the isomalt to drip onto a piece of parchment on the floor. This is the best way to achieve a long, thin "twig".
• 7. TO ASSEMBLE STRAWBERRY FLORENTINE TOWER: Pipe a small puff of cheese mouseline onto a plate. Place the almond tower ontop of the puff. Fill almond tower with mascerated strawberries and cheese mouseline, alternating the layers, ending with strawberries. Place a very mascerated strawberries onto the plate, along with a drizzle of soaking liquid. Place an almond macaroon on the plate, and arrange sliced strawberried on top. Place the sugar spiral on top of the tower, and place the marzapan twig on the plate, leaning against the tower.