It’s a fact – I’ve never consumed so much cake in my life! I’m having it for breakfast, 11ses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, dessert, midnight snacks… FATTTYYYYYYYY! I've started using this blog as an excuse to bake morning, noon and night... I've always been a big eater but even I'm getting slightly conserned! This much sugar and butter every day could quite possibly turn me into the world's first human bouncy castle...
In an attempt to not end up the size of a bus by my 31st birthday I’ve come to the simple conclusion that I’m going to try and restrict myself (good luck with that one!) . Half of my posts (she optimistically writes) are going to hopefully start to be at least distant cousins to healthier food… Or perhaps I’ll have to put myself on an “only baking when it’s for someone else” ban… Or maybe just resign myself to biting the bullet and going on that moo moo shopping spree...
So, I've decided to make freezable Christmas presents for the next few weeks in an attempt to give my body a bit of a break. First up: Chocolate-Dipped Florentines. Luckily this post isn’t going to ruin anyone’s Christmas morning surprise: Mum requested these pretty much as soon as she’d polished off last year’s batch. This time the recipe is one of David Lebovitz’s – the first of his I’ve tried and it’s a winner.
These biscuits (yes I know – not exactly healthy but they ARE for someone else) are delicious – I managed to only “test” one… well two… ok THREE but in my defense you have to make sure when you’re gifting the end product! (Mum see what sacrifices I make for you!?)
Preheat the oven to 150˚C. Grease and line your baking trays.
In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients (apart from the chocolate). Fill a small bowl with cold water.
Dip your hands in the water then pick up a tablespoon sized portion and heap it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Once you’ve used it all up, dip the fork in the water between flattening each biscuit as much as possible while avoiding gaps in the mixture and trying to keep an even shape.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Melt the chocolate and brush the base of each biscuit in a thin layer. Leave in the fridge until set and then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Or as I’ve done, freeze as a very early start on Christmas baking!
David Lebovitz's Chocolate-Dipped Florentines: (makes 20-25)
1 large egg white, at room temperature
50g icing sugar
130g blanched sliced almonds
a good pinch of flaky sea salt
grated zest of half an orange, preferably unsprayed
50g icing sugar
130g blanched sliced almonds
a good pinch of flaky sea salt
grated zest of half an orange, preferably unsprayed
100g dark chocolate, melted
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