Caramelised white chocolate florentines

20 MINUTES + COOLING | MAKES 20 | EASY White chocolate can be very sweet, so caramelising gives it a toffee-like dimension – think posh Caramac bars. salted butter 75g golden caster sugar 5 tbsp plain flour 3 tbsp blanched almonds 50g, chopped chopped mixed peel 50g

sultanas 25g, chopped

dark glacé cherries 25g, chopped CARAMELISED WHITE CHOCOLATE white chocolate (30% cocoa butter or higher) 150g, chopped into small chunks sea salt flakes optional

• To make the florentines, heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Heat the butter and sugar together in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the flour then add the nuts, mixed peel, sultanas and cherries, and put teaspoonfuls of the mixture quite widely spaced onto the baking sheet and flatten slightly. You may have to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 140C/120C/gas 1.

• While the florentines are still hottish, neaten up the edges using the side of a knife or a round cutter. Let them cool completely.

• To caramelise the chocolate, put the chocolate into an ovenproof baking dish and into the oven. Cook for 40-45 minutes, taking out every 10 minutes to give it a good stir. If it looks a little grainy, mix really well and it will come back together. It should gradually melt and take on a caramel colour. Once you reach this stage, take it out, give it a good stir, then use a small spatula or spoon to spread over the flat side of the florentines. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, if you like, then leave to set and cool completely.

PER FLORENTINE 129 KCALS | FAT 6.9G SATURATES 3.5G | CARBS 15.2G | SUGARS 11.3G FIBRE 0.3G | PROTEIN 1.6G | SALT 0.1G

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