Festive Almond Florentines
Crisp, golden, naturally festive Florentines made without flour - just maple, vegan butter, ground almonds, and colourful seasonal toppings. They make for a beautiful Christmas gift and you can customise the toppings to your taste - we went with flaked almonds, goji berries, flaked coconut and freeze dried raspberries.
Takes 18 minutes
Serves 12
Ingredients
Caramel Base
- 60 g vegan butter ¼ cup
- 90 g maple syrup ¼ cup & 2 tbsp
- 3 tbsp ground almonds approx. 21g
- Pinch sea salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract optional
- Zest of ½ orange optional
Festive Toppings
- 60 g flaked almonds ½ cup
- 20 g goji berries 2 tbsp/ 2 tbsp freeze dried raspberries
- 20 g pistachios or pumpkin seeds chopped (2 tbsp)
- 10 g desiccated coconut 1 tbsp
Optional Chocolate Finish
- 100 g dark chocolate melted (⅔ cup)
- Freeze-dried raspberries or extra goji berries
Instructions
Preheat the oven
- Preheat to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking tray with parchment.
Make a caramel
- Add 90g maple syrup to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken and bubble steadily.
- Add 60g vegan butter and cook another 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the caramel becomes glossy, foamy on top and slightly resistant when stirred. It should look thick enough to coat a spoon, not runny.
Add the binder
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 3 tbsp ground almonds, sea salt and vanilla + orange zest (if using). Let sit 30 seconds — the caramel should noticeably thicken. If still loose whisk in 1 more tbsp ground almonds.
Fold in the festive mix-ins
- Stir in flaked almonds, goji berries/ freeze dried raspberries, pistachios/pumpkin seeds and desiccated coconut. The mixture should now be nut-heavy and spoonable, not pourable.
Shape the Florentines
- Spoon heaped teaspoons onto the tray. Use the back of the spoon (or fingers) to gently flatten into small rounds. Leave space - they will spread a little, but much less than before.
- Optional for extra-perfect rounds: Chill shaped Florentines 5 minutes before baking.
Bake
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are deep golden and the centres look set and glossy, not liquid. They will firm up as they cool.
Cool completely
- Leave them on the tray until fully crisp and hardened. Moving too early will break them.
Optional chocolate drizzle
- Dip or drizzle with melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with festive red goji or freeze-dried berries. Allow to set.