We have updated our Privacy Policy Please take a moment to review it. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the terms of our updated Privacy Policy.

Weekend Recipe: Angelic Star Florentines

By Octopus
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

Angelic Star Florentines 

Yuki Sugiura

Although the florentine is Italian in origin, my family adopted it as if it was their natural-born child. Crunchy, fruity, nutty, chocolatey – yummy! We made them as gifts and used dark, white and milk chocolate to cover them. However, more often than not, they never made it out of the kitchen!

makes 16
prep 20 mins, plus chilling, cooling and setting
cook 20–25 mins

30g (1oz) glacé cherries
100g (3½oz) flaked almonds
30g (1oz) raisins
50g (1¾oz) candied peel
30g (1oz) candied angelica
50g (1¾oz) butter
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
50g (1¾oz) plain flour
2 tsp golden syrup
2 tsp double cream
100–150g (3½–5½oz) milk chocolate

  1. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick baking paper. Chop the cherries into quarters, then mix them with the almonds, raisins, candied peel and angelica in a bowl.
  1. Melt the butter with the sugar and flour in a small saucepan set over a very low heat, stirring continuously. Once the butter has melted and the flour and sugar are fully mixed in, add the syrup and stir through.
  2. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the cream. You should end up with a very thick, homogenous liquid. Add the almonds and fruit and mix thoroughly.
  1. Place a star-shaped cookie cutter on a prepared baking sheet. Divide the mixture into 16 equal-sized portions. Take a portion and press it into the star-shaped cutter. Repeat with the remaining mixture, using the cutter to shape the mixture into star shapes. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160ºC/gas mark 4.
  2. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven, leave to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  3. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water below. Spoon a little chocolate onto the flat side of each florentine, spread it across the biscuit, then leave for about 30 minutes to harden.

Recipe taken from The Vintage Tea Party Year by Angel Adoree