Shelly's Recipe

FLORENTINE BARS

Category: Bars

2 cups sliced almonds, chopped
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp grated orange zest (I used 1 medium orange)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp honey
8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk almonds, flour and zest in a small bowl.

Stir together sugar, butter, cream and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in dry mixture thoroughly and then cool for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Spoon batter onto two medium parchment paper covered baking sheets forming rectangles a few inches from the edges of the pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and the middle is slightly golden and firm.

Move the cookies, still on the parchment paper, to a flat surface, and fold each over itself after they have cooled for a few minutes. Let each log cool for 20-30 minutes longer, peel the parchment paper from one log and then return it the paper, peel the parchment paper from the other log and place it on top of the first log. Let the whole mass cool for about 20 minutes longer and then use a serrated bread knife to cut the log into 1 inch bars. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler (in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water), stirring constantly.

Dip one end of each bar into the chocolate, and chill on fresh parchment paper in the freezer. Serve from the freezer.