Delicious Double Chocolate Almond Florentines, that are easy, gluten free and with no added fats. These cookies really hit the sweet spot and since they are so quick and easy, we can enjoy them any time!
I spotted this recipe on pinterest, but I thought that I wouldn’t like the orange in the original recipe. I thought the concept of a crispy cookie made out of sliced almonds could be really great though, so I took out the orange and added my two favourite things – salt on sweet and chocolate!
You can switch up the chocolate to your liking. Use just a chocolate drizzle on the top, or a white chocolate dip on the bottom. Or both, as done here.
Be sure to use a silpat or parchment paper to cook these cookies on, so they don’t stick or burn.
Double Chocolate Almond Florentines
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 large egg white
- 1/3 cup icing/confectioners sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- White and dark chocolate, for garnish
- Fleur de Sel salt, for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300° F. with rack in centre of oven. Prepare a baking sheet with a silpat or a piece of parchment paper. (If you don't have either, be sure to grease your baking sheet.
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In a medium bowl, combine almonds, egg white, icing sugar and vanilla. Stir gently (so you don't crush almonduntil combined.
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Spoon 1-inch balls of mixture onto prepared baking sheet, about 4 inches apart. Using you fingers or a fork, flatten the balls into 2 1/2 to 3-inch discs. (You can dip fingers/fork in to cold water if they are sticking). Try to avoid having gaps between the almonds and be sure that the cookies are fairly flattened, as pieces sticking up may cook more quickly/over-brown. Cookies don't spread much while baking, so it's ok if they're somewhat close after you flatten them. Try to keep at least an inch between though.
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Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. (Start checking at 20 minutes, so they don't over-brown. If you made your cookies smaller, they may be done in as little as 10-15 minutes, so be sure to check). Allow to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
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*You can use all white chocolate, all dark chocolate or both. You can put dark on the bottom, and white on the top. Or put white on the bottom and chocolate on top. Or put both as a drizzle just on top. These cookies are lovely all ways!
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Once cookies are cool, melt the chocolate for the bottom of your cookies first. Flip cookies over. Spoon a puddle of melted chocolate in to middle of cookie and, using the back of a spoon, spread it out to the edges of the back of the cookie. Allow to stand until the chocolate has set.
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Once set, flip the cookies over, right side up. Melt the chocolate for the top of the cookies. Using a fork or a wire whisk dipped in to the melted chocolate, drizzle some over the top of the cookies. While the chocolate is still moist, sprinkle with a little bit of Fleur de Sel salt. Allow chocolate to set before storing cookies in an airtight container.
Hi Jennifer
The florentines look wonderful – have been searching for a beaurifully simple recipes with flaked almonds for ages and yours is by far the best I’ve seen! Would it be possible to add a small amount of dried sour cherries to the mix without ruining the lovely recipe?
Hi Sue, I think you could. You’d want to chop them very finely, as the cookies are quite flat and you probably wouldn’t want the cherries to end up sticking out the top too much. Enjoy!
Is there a replacement for egg in this recepie
Hi Mak, there really is no substitute that I can think of. The egg is what holds it together.
Hello! These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them.
I was wondering how long they stay crispy for and how to store them if I want to serve them tomorrow at a party. Thanks!
Hi Inna, sorry, I was away for the weekend so maybe too late, but these keep pretty well :)
Ita alright:) no worries. These turned out amazing and I got a lot of compliments at our potluck party. I ended up making 4 times the recipe , but by then end, only 3 remained! They definitely were better the first day, but still delicious the next. A little softer/chewier, but they held up just fine.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! Can’t wait to find an excuse to make them again!
Just a quick question as I’ve never made these before. You just leave the egg white as it is? No beating or anything?
That’s right Ana. Just leave the egg white as it is. It’s really just acting as the moist “glue” that holds these together and it will dry out/cook in the oven.
Just made these – they are so yummy!!! Best of luck to your daughter with college!
So glad you enjoyed them, Martha and thanks so much re daughter and college. I’m going to miss her terribly, but so excited for her at the same time. Thankfully, she’ll only be a few hours away and I’m pretty sure she’ll be coming home often for some good food :)
i am definitely craving a Florentine right now, they probably have to be the best tasting sweet cookie treat EVER. will be saving this recipe to recreate in my kitchen. thanks!
Enjoy, Thalia!
Aww, so fun!! These cookies look delicious!
Thanks Katrina!
So fun to have your daughter do a post! I LOVED reading about how she saw a peer reading your blog in the school library :) That is so awesome! These cookies are just lovely, and since they’re unleavened, they sound like something even I couldn’t screw up! Haha! I love almonds. I must try these!
Thanks Sophie. It was great fun doing a post with her. She’s a real foodie (guess she didn’t have much choice ;), but hope to do more as she loves to cook. And you must try these cookies. Honestly, they lasted 20 minutes here. So good!!
These are the prettiest florentines I have ever seen! So sweet and love the extra chocolate!
Thanks Jessica. My daughter is a bit of a perfectionist, so her baking is always extra pretty!
I love Florentines, I’d like a dozen of these! :)
I’d like a dozen more, Laura, because these lasted about 20 minutes :)