Chocolate Florentine Cookies

Among the many jobs I've had over the years, I once worked at an Italian bakery in New Orleans. They had some of the most delicious pastries; I even promised myself that I would arrange my future wedding date around the availability of their addictive strawberry cake, which is only prepared during Louisiana's strawberry season. Besides from their mouth-watering cakes, one of my favorite cookies is their Chocolate Florentines. By far the world's perfect cookie: wafer thin lace almond cookies, sandwiched with chocolate filling and then drizzled with more chocolate and EASY to make. What could be more perfect than that?!



CHOCOLATE FLORENTINE COOKIES
- Adapted from Group Recipes - 28845
- Makes about 24 sandwiched cookies.

Ingredients

* 1 and 3/4 cups sliced or crushed, blanched almonds
* 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* Finely grated zest of one orange
* 1/4 teaspoon of salt
* 3/4 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (smart balance buttery spread will work)
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* Chocolate topping, optional
* 2 to 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate chopped
* Water for boiling (need for melting chocolate topping)

Supplies

* Parchment paper or silicone mat
* Food processor (hand mixer will not do the trick on this recipe)
* 2 baking sheet trays
* Pastry bag or disposable zip-loc bag
* Saucepan with bowl (for melting chocolate topping)

Directions

1. Measure and stir together the nuts, flour, zest and salt in a large bowl.
2. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, but not pasty.
3. Put the sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a small sauce pan.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour mixture into almond mixture and stir just to combine.
6. Set aside until cool enough to handle, approx. 30 minutes.
7. In the meantime, line baking sheets with silicone mat or parchment paper.
8. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
9. Once the batter mix is cool enough to handle, transfer the batter mix into a pastry bag or zip-loc bag (cut a very small hole in the corner tip of the bag).
10. Squeeze a small amounts of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they spread. (About 12 cookies per baking sheet.)
11. Bake one pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color (approx. 10 minutes) throughout, rotating pans halfway through baking time (at 5 minutes).
12. If you were impatient as I usually am and have placed the too many cookies on one sheet and they've now joined in places you're in luck, the cookies can be easily separated when they are still warm from the oven. Just take a knife and gently separate the cookies from one another; you can also mold the cookies to reform a circular shape if you so desire.
13. For rolled cookies: Roll the cookies while they're still warm.
    
14. Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate or rack to cool. The cookies should easily peel off the mat or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining batter.
15. Optional chocolate topping: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
    
16. Bring a saucepan filled wit 1 inch or so of water to a boil and then to a very low simmer. Set the bowl over, but not touching, the water.
    
17. Stir the chocolate until melted and smooth. Stir and continue to heat until completely melted.
18. For sandwiched cookies: Drop about 1/2 teaspoon chocolate onto the flat side of one cookie and then press together with another cookie. Return to rack and let chocolate set.
19. For chocolate drizzle decor: Drizzle melted chocolate over Florentines as desired. Set aside at room temperature until chocolate is set.
20. Store baked cookies carefully, separated by parchment or waxed paper in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
    

******Note: While still delicious, I found the cookies to be a bit nutty for my liking. In the future I might try using a half finely grated almond and half crumbled almond paste. I will let you know how that turns out.*******