Florentines

Delicate, crisp and full of fruit and nuts, these are fun to make and a joy to eat.

Hands-on time 30min, plus cooling and setting. Cooking time about 20min. Makes 12

50g (2oz) unsalted butter, chopped 75g (3oz) demerara sugar ½tbsp plain flour 1tbsp double cream 40g (1½oz) dried cranberries, roughly chopped 25g (1oz) chopped mixed peel 40g (1½oz) pistachios, roughly chopped 40g (1½oz) flaked almonds TO FINISH 100g (3½oz) dark or white chocolate, chopped, to taste

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Heat butter, sugar and flour in a heavy-based medium pan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has nearly dissolved (it’ll look like it’s splitting, but will come together and start bubbling).

2 Take pan off heat and mix in cream, followed by dried fruit and nuts.

3 Dollop tablespoonfuls of mixture on to prepared baking sheets, spacing apart. Spread out mounds thinly and evenly.

4 Bake for 15min until golden; cool on tray.

5 To finish, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove bowl from heat. Dip base of each Florentine into chocolate; leave to set, chocolate-side up on a cooling rack. If you want them to look authentic, run the tines of a fork in a wavy pattern over chocolate when nearly set. PER FLORENTINE 168cals, 2g protein, 10g fat (4g saturates), 16g carbs (14g total sugars), 1g fibre TO STORE Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.