Fruity Chocolate Florentines

After a break from posting recipes,   I'm back with a little treat for you just in time for Christmas.   These fruity chocolate florentines are amazingly quick and easy to make and are particularly good served chilled from the fridge - or even straight out of the freezer!  

Florentines are traditionally full of sugar and cream so, in my recipe, I've reduced the sugar, cut out all the dairy products and added maple syrup, dairy-free dark chocolate and plenty of naturally sweet fruits and nuts.   As it's Christmas, I've added dried cranberries and some naturally red glace cherries but you can use any combination you like!

  

Ingredients          Makes about 15

55g dairy free margarine

27g light brown muscovado sugar

1 tbsp natural maple syrup

140g mixed dried fruits, cranberries, glace cherries, mixed peel

40g mixed nuts e.g. almonds, brazil nuts, pecan

25g plain white flour

100g dairy free dark chocolate

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas Mark 3

Prepare two baking trays by greasing with a little margarine or use non-stick baking liners. 

Start by placing the margarine, sugar and maple syrup in a saucepan and melting them over a low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.   Remove the pan from the heat. 

Roughly chop the dried fruit and nuts, then add them to the pan with the flour.  Stir well.  

Drop small spoonfuls of the florentine mixture onto the baking sheets allowing plenty of space between them.  They do spread out during baking so, if you don't leave enough room, you'll have one very large florentine instead of about 15 smaller ones!  

Place in the oven and bake for about 10 - 12 minutes until they are golden brown.

Leave for about 3 minutes to harden slightly before loosening carefully with a knife or spatula. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  

If your florentines have merged together whilst baking, they can still be rescued!  As soon as you take them out of the oven, separate them carefully with a knife or scissors and ease them into a circular shape. 

Break up the chocolate into pieces and place in a small bowl.  Microwave until completely melted, stirring frequently to avoid overcooking.

  

(Alternatively, place the bowl over a small pan filled with a couple of inches of just boiled water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water) 

When the chocolate is glossy and smooth, spread a thin layer over the back (i.e. flat side) of each florentine, using a knife or pastry brush.  If you like, you can make a zigzag pattern using a fork whilst the chocolate is setting.

  Have  a wonderful festive season and see you in the New Year!

Dairyfree Fruit and Ginger Chocolates

Finding dairyfree chocolate in the shops is relatively easy.  There are plenty of dark chocolate bars around that contain no dairy (just check the ingredients on the wrapper) but finding a box of chocolates is another matter.   Whilst there is more choice available online these days, they can often be expensive so I generally do what I've always done and make my own!

I've made all sorts of homemade chocolates over the years but these are probably the ones I've made most often!  Full of lovely dried fruit and stem ginger that has been steeped in brandy, they are truly luscious and make an extra special gift at Christmas or any time of year.

Any dark chocolate bar will do as long as it's dairyfree and the same goes for the digestives.  This recipe makes a lot so don't be put off by the quantities.  You could easily make three boxes like the one above from this list of ingredients.  

Ingredients

150g ready to eat dried apricots

150g ready to eat prunes

3 large balls of stem ginger

2 tbsp syrup from jar of stem ginger

125ml brandy

175g digestive biscuits (dairyfree)

275g dark chocolate (dairyfree)

110g dairyfree margarine (Pure)

Method

Chop up the apricots and prunes (or snip into pieces with a pair of scissors) and place in a large saucepan.  Chop the stem ginger finely and add to the pan with 2 tbsp of syrup from the jar and the brandy.

Place over a medium heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring every now and then.  Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to stand for about 30 minutes to allow the fruit to soak up the brandy syrup.

Line an oblong baking tin (approx 25cm x 18m x 3cm) with cling film.

Place the biscuits in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Break up the chocolate into pieces and put in a large bowl with the dairyfree margarine.    Place the bowl over a pan filled with a couple of inches of just boiled water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water.   Stir over a very low heat until the margarine and chocolate have melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Add the biscuit crumbs and soaked fruit to the bowl of melted chocolate and mix well together.    Spoon into the tin, pressing the mixture into the corners and tapping the tin to allow the mixture to settle. 

Level the surface neatly with a knife.   

Leave to cool, then cover with clingfilm and chill for at least six hours or overnight.

Turn the mixture out onto a clean chopping board and remove the clingfilm.  Cut into squares.

  
If you like, place in petit four cases and present them in a small box, covered with cling film.

 

Store in the fridge until needed. They'll keep for several weeks ....  if they last that long!