You probably all know Florentines, right? Here in Germany, they are sold all year round in many bakeries and supermarkets. For me, they are actually something I only make for Christmas. I made them for the first time about 10-12 years ago and since then almost every year around Christmas. You see… I like them a lot ;) This year I decided to leave the usual path and try something else with those quite special cookies… that‘s why I ended up with Cranberry Macadamia Florentines this year ;)
Classic Florentines – as far as I know – are mostly made with sliced almonds and candied fruits like lemon, orange, and cherries. Those sweet and very sticky sugar fruits. I like it a lot, that‘s why I made them so often in the past. Other people have sometimes problems with those candied fruits. Too sweet, too sticky or just a weird flavor ;) There is a traditional German bake for Christmas called „Christstollen“ which contains these candied fruits as well… and is also something people don’t like because of the use of those ingredients. Well… maybe these Florentines here are more suitable for the masses this time ;P
Macadamias are a tiny bit more expensive than regular almonds – sorry for that ;) But to be honest… they are worth it! I recommend using unsalted macadamias. I made the recipe with salted and unsalted macadamias cause I could not find the unsalted ones at the beginning… both types work, but I definitely prefer using the unsalted nuts. Even though I like sweet/salty combinations – that one did not work for me ;) So in case you want to make the cookies… keep that in mind. Fortunately, you can get the unsalted ones much easier nowadays.
Which cookies are your favorite Christmas cookies? Tell me!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the cookies:
1/4 cup. (60g) butter
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (80g) caramel syrup or golden syrup
1 tsp. amaretto
1.7 oz. (50g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
3.5 oz. (100g) dried cranberries, chopped
4.4 oz. (125g) macadamias, chopped
For the decoration:
3.5 oz. (100g) white chocolate, chopped
Für die Florentiner:
60g Butter
100g brauner Zucker
80g Karamellsirup oder heller Sirup
1 TL Amaretto
50g Mehl (Type 405)
1 TL gemahlener Ingwer
100g getrocknete Cranberries, gehackt
125g Macadamianüsse, gehackt
Für die Dekoration:
100g weiße Schokolade, gehackt
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add the butter, brown sugar, syrup, and amaretto to a saucepan and heat up over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes – stir until well combined. Remove from the heat. Mix the flour with the ground ginger and sift into the saucepan, stir until well combined. Pour that mixture on the prepared baking sheet and spread with a palette knife or rubber spatula into a rectangle with a thickness of about 2-3mm. Place in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle evenly with the chopped cranberries and macadamias and then return to the oven and bake another 12-15 minutes – the mixture should bubble and have a golden color. Take out of the oven and let cool down for 3-4 minutes, then cut into 30 rectangles. Works best with a sharp greased knife, but be careful it’s very hot! If the sides of the rectangle got too dark, remove that part first. Let cool down completely.
3. Chop the white chocolate and melt over a pot with simmering water or in the microwave (very carefully). Dip the Florentine cookies on one end into the melted chocolate, remove excess chocolate and let cool down completely on a wire rack or a piece of baking parchment.
2. Die Butter zusammen mit dem braunen Zucker, Sirup und Amaretto in einen Topf geben und bei mittlerer Hitze für 2-3 Minuten verrühren, bis erste Blasen hochkommen. Vom Herd nehmen und das Mehl zusammen mit dem gemahlenen Ingwer in den Topf sieben und unterrühren. Die Mischung auf das Blech geben und zu einem Rechteck mit einer Dicke von etwa 2-3mm ausstreichen. In den Ofen schieben und dann für etwa 5 Minuten backen lassen, bis sich Blasen bilden. Wieder herausnehmen und die gemischten Cranberries und Macadamianüsse gleichmäßig darauf verteilen. Zurück in den Ofen schieben und für weitere 12-15 Minuten backen – die Masse sollte blubbern und eine goldene Farbe bekommen haben. Hausnehmen und auf dem Blech für 3-4 Minuten abkühlen lassen, dann mit einem scharfen gefetteten Messer in 30 Rechtecke schneiden. Vorsicht sehr heiß! Was an den Seiten zu dunkel geworden ist vorher entfernen. Komplett abkühlen lassen.
3. Die weiße Schokolade grob hacken und dann in einer Schüssel über einem Topf mit köchelndem Wasser oder in der Mikrowelle (vorsichtig) schmelzen. Die Florentiner auf einer Seite in die Schokolade tunken, zu viel Schokolade abstreifen und dann auf einem Kuchengitter oder Stück Backpapier trocknen und fest werden lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
PrintCranberry Macadamia Florentines
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 60
- Yield: 30 1x
Description
Delicious florentine cookies with cranberries and macadamias – really nice combination with the caramel and white chocolate!
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1/4 cup. (60g) butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80g) caramel syrup or golden syrup
- 1 tsp. amaretto
- 1.7 oz. (50g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 3.5 oz. (100g) dried cranberries, chopped
- 4.4 oz. (125g) macadamias, chopped
For the decoration
- 3.5 oz. (100g) white chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Chop the cranberries (if large) and macadamia nuts coarsely. Set aside.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, syrup, and amaretto to a saucepan and heat up over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes – stir until well combined. Remove from the heat. Mix the flour with the ground ginger and sift into the saucepan, stir until well combined. Pour that mixture on the prepared baking sheet and spread with a palette knife or rubber spatula into a rectangle with a thickness of about 2-3mm. Place in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle evenly with the chopped cranberries and macadamias and then return to the oven and bake another 12-15 minutes – the mixture should bubble and have a golden color. Take out of the oven and let cool down for 3-4 minutes, then cut into 30 rectangles. Works best with a sharp greased knife, but be careful it’s very hot! If the sides of the rectangle got too dark, remove that part first. Let cool down completely.
- Chop the white chocolate and melt over a pot with simmering water or in the microwave (very carefully). Dip the florentine cookies on one end into the melted chocolate, remove excess chocolate and let cool down completely on a wire rack or a piece of baking parchment.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!