Gluten-free, gently spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and clove, coated in rich dark chocolate and finished with flaky salt. These spiced nut and chocolate florentines are simply delicious – and so easy to make!
One of the reasons I love these florentines is how quick and simple they are! They’re great for bringing a dish to a party or gathering. They’re also perfect to have on hand with an afternoon cup of tea.
A florentine is basically a nut cookie – it’s traditionally made with almonds and hazelnuts and often contains dried fruits. My version doesn’t include dried fruits, but you are free to add them! The beauty of florentines is that you are limited only by your imagination!
Calling florentines a nut cookie is kind of selling them short. A nut cookie sounds a bit boring – but these spiced nut and chocolate florentines are anything but! When you take a bite, you get this crunchy, chewy, salty, sweet, rich, nutty flavour combination that is already decadent and delicious on its own. But then you get hit with the warm spices of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and clove. And, no wheat whatsoever! You are welcome, my dear gluten-free friends!
Making these Spiced Nut and Chocolate Florentines
The main nut mixture is pretty straightforward. Just roughly chop up any larger nuts (like whole macadamias, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts). For a little shortcut, my recipe includes slivered almonds! This way, they are already quite small, and their long, pointed shape is a nice contrast to the round nuts. I also like to include at least one type of roasted, salted nut. The extra saltiness and depth of flavour nicely complements the sweetness of the honey, and the richness of the chocolate.
The butter, honey, and coconut flour act as the ‘glue’ that holds your florentine together. This step is also quite simple! It’s just a matter of melting butter and honey, then whisking in some coconut flour.
It might seem like a small amount of coconut flour, but it is very absorbent. Once you mix this through with the nuts and spices, you are looking for a sticky consistency that holds its shape when pressed.
If you use too much coconut flour, the mixture will be dry and crumbly, and so will your florentines. If this does happen, do not panic! Just add a small drizzle of honey at a time, and mix until it’s sticky and holds its shape!
Finishing Touches to the Florentines
Once you’ve flattened out spoonfuls of your florentine mixture on a tray and baked them, you need to let them cool completely. Do not attempt to dip them in warm chocolate while they are hot! They will fall apart and it will be a huge mess.
While they are cooling, melt your chocolate over a bain-marie (or just microwave it!). Dip the flat side of the florentines into the chocolate, and place on a wire rack to catch any excess drips. Finish with flaky salt while the chocolate is still melty. Once they set, either in the fridge or on the counter, the salt will stick to the chocolate.
The end result is a spiced nut and chocolate florentine with a hint of salt to cut through the decadence. Trust me, the salt does not make this taste savoury at all! Salt is a flavour enhancer, and it brings out the flavours of the chocolate, nuts, and spices even more. Plus it kind of looks like little diamonds! You just want a small pinch, that’s all. I don’t think there is any dessert or sweet that I make without a small pinch of salt – it really is a game-changer!
Variations on these Florentines
Classic florentines will include some type of dried fruit or candied peel. Some will go heavy on the almonds, some will include sesame seeds – the possibilities are endless! The beauty of this recipe is that you can customise it to your taste. I’m just showing you my favourite version of a florentine. You can totally add dried cranberries, apricots, figs, or any dried fruit to the mixture. Candied orange or lemon peels would also be lovely!
Some great options for nuts include hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, Brazil nuts – even throw in some pepitas or sunflower seeds if you like! I personally love the bright pop of green from the pistachios, and the richness from the macadamias.
You can also use a different gluten-free flour, but the measurements may differ. Since coconut flour is so absorbent, you only need a tiny bit! Plus it gives a very slight coconutty flavour which works well with the nuts and chocolate. But if you do experiment with other flours, just make sure your mixture is sticky, and holds its shape when pressed!
Whichever way you let your imagination run wild with these florentines, I hope you enjoy this recipe! xxx
Spiced Nut and Chocolate Florentines (Gluten-Free)
Description
Warm, spiced nuts in butter and honey, baked and coated in rich dark chocolate, topped with a hint of flaky salt. Gluten-free, utterly delicious, and so easy!
Ingredients
Method
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Preheat your oven to 180°C fan.
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Roughly chop any large nuts you are using.
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In a small saucepan, melt your butter and honey over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat immediately and whisk in your coconut flour.
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In a large bowl, combine all the nuts, all the spices (except salt!), and the butter, honey and coconut flour mixture. Give everything a good mix until all the nuts are coated and the mixture is sticky and holds its shape when pressed. (See Note 2)
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With a large spoon or ice-cream scoop, take spoonfuls of the mixture and place onto a lined baking tray. Press down into flat circles, roughly 1cm thick, and 7-8cm across. (See Note 3)
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Place in oven for 10 minutes, turning the tray around halfway to ensure even browning. Keep an eye on them - you don't want them to burn!
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Allow to cool completely on the baking tray. Meanwhile, melt your chocolate over a bain-marie by placing it in a heatproof bowl, suspended over a pot of hot water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl! (See Note 4)
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Once the florentines are cooled and have hardened, dip the flat side into the warm chocolate, sprinkle on some flaky salt, and lay on a wire rack to catch any chocolate that drips down.
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Allow to set in the fridge, or at room temperature until the chocolate hardens, and enjoy!
Note
- Any nuts would work nicely in this - just choose your favourites! The total weight of the nuts is 400g for this recipe, so you are only limited by your imagination. My only suggestion is to have some of those nuts roasted and salted - this adds a lovely contrast to the rich chocolate and a richer nut flavour. You could even add in dried fruits if you like! Dried cranberries and apricots would work beautifully.
- Coconut flour is very absorbent, so don't be alarmed if your mixture feels a little dry. It might depend on your brand of coconut flour. But, if it feels slightly dry, just add a drizzle of honey to bring everything together again. If it's dry and crumbly in the mixture, your florentines will be dry and crumbly!
- You could make them any size, really. This will just change the cooking time. Keep an eye on them as they bake - you only want the edges to go slightly brown. They will be soft once out of the oven, but will harden as they cool. It is so crucial to let them cool down before dipping them in the chocolate, since you need them to hold their shape!
- A bain-marie is just a double-boiler or water bath. It involves heating water in a pot or saucepan and indirectly heating a bowl or pot above it. This gently melts the chocolate. The reason you don't want the bottom of your bowl touch the water, is because this might cause the bowl to overheat. If this happens, the chocolate might burn or split. Also make sure no water gets into the bowl as this can also cause it to split. You can also just microwave the chocolate in short bursts until it melts, instead!
