Lottie’s Quarantine Florentines for Nana & Papa

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.

Step 2

Place the pistachios, cherries and ginger in a small food processor and blitz for a few seconds until chopped to a small rubble. Add the flour and blitz again to combine.

Step 3

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the coconut flakes and flaked almonds.

Step 4

Place the butter, sugar and salt together in a small pan on a low heat. Cook, without stirring if possible, moving the pan around to combine, until the temperature reaches 120°C/248°F on the sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, then pour the caramel over the fruit mixture and stir until well mixed.

Step 5

Place the oiled cutter on the first baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture in the centre of the cutter and press it out to an even thickness. Remove the cutter and repeat until you have 6 circles of mixture on each baking sheet, allowing plenty of room between each for the mixture to spread during baking. (Bake in batches, if you run out of room on the baking sheets.)

Step 6

Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Watch them carefully – if they are paler in the centre, they may be a little softer and chewy to eat; if they are over-browned, they will be too brittle.

Step 7

Once baked, remove the florentines from the oven and, using the cutter, push the edges of the biscuit into a neat, round shape while the mixture is still hot. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 8

To decorate, place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and leave until melted. Remove the bowl from the pan.

Step 9

Dip the base of each florentine in the dark chocolate, then place the biscuits, chocolate-sides upwards on a baking tray. Leave to set in a cool place.

Step 10

Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the dark chocolate. Leave to set before serving.