Thomas Fudge's Milk Chocolate Florentines, Pack of 8, 150g

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I’m very particular about them. If you’re not familiar, florentines are caramelised piles of nuts and (if you like) fruit, usually dipped in chocolate. Made well, they look like bejewelled piles of treasure – a rubied cranberry glinting among the gold. They have all the charm of Christmas and, with their ability to turn a cup of tea into something festive and glamorous, they feel quite fancy. The box does suggest they are perfect for sharing but unfortunately there was no-one about, what a shame…. So over a cup of Tetley tea I munched my way through each chocolate number. Seriously moreish, each florentinewas deliciously chewy from the glossy caramel, the hazelnuts and almonds varied in size but were evident and come through with each bite, and the chocolate, albeit missing the signature wavy lines, was smooth and not at all synthetic or cheap tasting. My favourite was definitely the milk chocolate, the flavour and ratio was on point and complemented each other perfectly. The dark chocolate was the prominent all you could taste flavour and a tad off balancing, but still rather yummy. Oddly I thought the white chocolate florentine would be overly sweet however this wasn’t the case. To be honest it was pretty non-describ, I couldn’treally separate it from the nutty caramel and wouldn’t have known there was white chocolate on it had I not seen it. So in my eyes not really a florentine. From my knowledge of caramel making, the sugar temperature to aim for is between 115c – 118c for a softer caramel. Ideally 116c! Anything above this your sugar will begin to transform. That’s why when you bake florentines in a 160c oven, it’s impossible to get something chewy. It significantly overshoots the 115c-118c range. Every year, around the same time I first hear the opening chimes of “All I Want For Christmas”, I start to think about florentines.

Mix the cooled melted chocolate into the yolk mixture, with a pinch of salt and 1⁄2 tablespoon of amaretto. Add the egg whites, mixing in a spoonful at first to loosen the mix, then fold in the rest in 3 batches. I started this florentine journey with a read of Felicity Cloake’s very thorough article on them. The key to chewy florentines, I hoped, was by limiting the cooking time. Simple enough, I thought. I decided not to divert too much from the classic method and dove right in, starting with the syrup. Florentines offer ripe opportunities for substitutions. You can use any mix of nuts you like here. Just try and keep the approximate weights the same. You can also add in mixed candied peels, citrus zests, cornflakes, oats and really, anything you like, so long as you keep the approximate ratios the same.Turn the roulade out onto cocoa- dusted baking paper. Peel away the lining paper. Use a small sharp knife to gently score an indentation 1cm in from one of the shorter sides (don’t cut all the way through). Spread the Florentine cream over the roulade and roll it up from the marked end. Transfer to a plate. I’ve spent my life yearning after supermarket biscuits. As a child, I wanted them to sate my burgeoning sugar addiction. As an adult, I want them for their nostalgic comfort. And, as a pastry chef, I want them for their painstakingly perfected formulas. If you have silicone cupcake cases or moulds then you will soon also be the owner of extremely neat and tidy florentines. They look beautiful but cook slightly differently – as the honey/cream/sugar mixture is limited in its path of travel, you’ll get a denser and neater final product. It’s extremely crunchy as the nuts are essentially being deep fried in the syrup. I only have a metal tray and I cannot, in good faith, recommend using it for the baked florentines. They look beautiful but are impossible to get out of the tin. Burton’s Biscuit Co is to boost its presence in the premium biscuit market with the acquisition of Thomas Fudge’s. First, you’ve got a choice between lacy and nutty. Lacy florentines contain flour – they’re more like a traditional biscuit. The latter forgo the flour completely. I prefer my florentines to be (gasp) gluten-free and filled with nuts. I won't be covering lacy florentines in this newsletter.

It’s these varying levels of water concentration that offer different properties to confections/candies. Meanwhile, using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl for 3-4 minutes until pale. In another bowl and using clean whisks, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Pour the mixture into the lined tin, tilting the tray so that the mixture reaches the edges. Bake for 15 minutes until set and lightly springy. Leave to cool in the tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Put the chopped glacé cherries for the filling aside to soak in 2 tablespoons amaretto. Grease and line a 25cm x 35cm Swiss roll tin. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then set aside to cool slightly.So in 2020, I’ve decided to finally take on this project and I call this: MISSION FLORENTINE. Welcome! My personal dream florentine is a soft and chewy, chocolate heavy mouthful. I’ve been thinking about how to recreate this texture and I think the answer is to forgo the oven. And that’s because the key to florentines is the sugar and how you deal with it. Make up to end of step 4 the day before and cover. The roulade can be filled and decorated a few hours before serving. The lower the temp of the syrup, the softer your final product will be (higher water to sugar ratio) whilst the higher the temp, the harder your final product will be (low water to sugar ratio, will also be caramel flavoured)