What is known as ‘Florentine’ in Japan is very different from ‘Florentine’ in Australia. It is basically sweet cookies topped with crispy caramelised Almond Flakes. For the base, you can use your own cookie dough or sweet shortcrust dough. There are so many different recipes and methods these days. Many people roll out the dough and cut it into the right size to fit in the baking pan, but I don’t do that. My method is much easier.

Cake Tin

Brownie Pan (32cm x 18cm)

Ingredients

Cookie Base
100g Butter *softened
1/3 cup Caster Sugar
1 medium Egg
1 & 1/3 cups (200g) Plain Flour *plus extra if required
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Topping
50g Butter
1/3 Caster Sugar
1/4 cup Cream
2 tablespoons Honey
150g Almond Flakes *about 1 & 1/2 cups

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃. Line a brownie pan (32cm x 18cm) OR similar size pan with baking paper. *Note: If you don’t have a pan, you can bake it on a baking tray. See Method 4.
  2. Mix softened Butter and Sugar until smooth. Gradually add Egg and combine well. Add Plain Flour and Baking Powder, and mix as you cut the butter mixture into flour. *Note: If too soft, add extra 1-2 tablespoons Flour.
  3. Spread the mixture in the pan, flatten to 5-6mm thin evenly, and set aside in the fridge until firm.
  4. *Note: If you don’t have a pan, roll the dough into a 5-6mm thick oblong, place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. What you have to do is to bake a very large oblong cookie.
  5. Spread Almond Flakes on a separate baking tray and bake for 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Set aside and cool.
  6. Use a fork to make lots of holes in the Cookie Base, and bake it for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Take it out and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 160℃.
  7. Place Butter, Sugar, Cream, Honey in a frying pan, and bring to the boil over medium heat. Cook the foamy mixture, constantly stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
  8. Add Almond Flakes and combine well, then spread the mixture over the baked Cookie Base evenly.
  9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 160℃ until nicely browned. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    While it is still warm to touch (not yet hardened), carefully turn it over onto a cutting board, with the Almond topping facing down.
  10. Slowly and carefully cut off the edges (if you prefer to do so), then cut into bite-size pieces using a sharp knife or serrated knife. Then cool completely.