Thursday 12 February 2015

Anti~Valentine Olive & Almond Florentines

 

Hello lovelies.

Happy 1st Birthday to this here blog!
This all started last February to help improve my job prospects, and it worked. I have a job. But now I don't have enough time to post many recipes or finish all the stuff about Fern & Olive and the Catering and the Menus, but that, and much more, will be coming soon!! 

Last February I started with some valentine macaroons, all very lovely but this year it's not about giving the love of your life some fancy cookies , it's about my personal deep undying love of OLIVES!! 

OLIVES ~ OLIVES ~ OLIVES ~ I LOVE YOU! 

I've been trying to push, olives dipped in chocolate, for some time, but these florentines are even better. Sweet caramel, salty rich olives, crispy flakey almonds and smooth dark chocolate, what's not to love! 

Make them! 
Don't be scared of olives in sweet things, honestly they are blooming gorgeous! Apparently 16 olives makes up one of your five a day, so if you eat enough of them,  they kind of ~ do you good!

Olive & Almond Florentines ~ makes 12
This is what you'll need:

100g   flaked almonds
  80g   black moroccan olives
  80g   butter
  80g   sugar
pinch  of salt
  40g   golden syrup
  40g   plain flour
  50g  dark chocolate

You will also need one or two baking trays, grease proof paper and a 5cm diameter biscuit cutter.

Pre heat the oven to 180c / gas 4.

Firstly, the olives I used are black moroccan olives which you can buy from the supermarket if you don't have a local olive stall handy. They are dry cured so they don't come in brine. They are usually quite salty and also, I can not find any pitted ones here in Lancaster so I pit them myself ~ it's easy!
To make them less salty, fill the jar of olives with cold water and soak over night. 
The next day drain and dry them.
Then de-stone by squashing them gently with the side of a knife and the stone just peels out.
Roughly chop the olives.

Toast the almonds ~ spread them out on a baking tray and toast in the oven 180c / gas 4 for 8 minutes.  Stirring half way through. 


In a pan over a low heat, melt the butter, sugar, syrup and salt.


Let it boil for a few minutes then add the flour, stir and cook for a few minutes longer then take off the heat and stir in the almonds and olives.


Next, line a baking tray with grease proof paper. Place a teaspoon full of the mix on the tray for each florentine. This mix makes 12, and I got 6 on a tray at a time.  


They completely spread themselves out so do leave lots of space between them. You have to shape them with the biscuit cutter after they have cooked.
Bake in the oven for 6 minutes.


A mess, I know, but have no fear.....


While they are still hot,  use a knife or teaspoon to separate them and as they are cooling gently press them into the biscuit cutter, they will hold their shape and they are not too hot to handle.


Leave to cool.
Meanwhile melt the chocolate on a low heat, in a bowl over a pan of water.


And drizzle.


Stick them in the fridge for 10 minutes for the chocolate to set. Then demolish!