Best Florentine Squares Recipes

FLORENTINE SQUARES

Steps:

• Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-x-15 1/2-x-1/2-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each short end.
• Batter: Pour the cream, corn syrup, and sugar into a 1 1/2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the butter. Stir over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Then raise the heat to medium, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon--especially toward the end of cooking--to prevent scorching. Cook until the mixture reaches 238 degrees F, the soft-ball stage, on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes; the mixture will appear between ivory- and straw-colored. Remove from heat, and stir in almonds.
• Pour the mixture onto the center of the foil-lined baking sheet, and spread it in as thin a layer as possible. A pool about 8 inches in diameter is fine. Bake for 3 minutes; then spread the more liquid mixture evenly over the baking sheet. If the mixture still does not completely cover the baking sheet, bake another minute, then tilt the baking sheet to allow the mixture to spread evenly. Bake for about 5 to 6 minutes total, or until golden but not dark brown. Though the mixture bubbles while baking, the bubbles form more slowly toward the end of baking time than at the beginning.
• Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes. While the mixture is still warm but no longer liquid, cut 1 1/2-inch squares using a ruler and a pastry wheel. If the mixture is too warm, it will not cut cleanly. If it is too cool, it will splinter or not cut; in that case return it to the oven for a few seconds to soften it a bit.
• Decoration: When the squares are completely cool, place the chocolate in a bowl over water at about 120 degrees F. When about two-thirds of the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the water. With a dry rubber spatula, stir until the liquid chocolate melts the soft or unmelted chocolate that remains. Fill a small handmade paper cone with the chocolate and snip off the tip. Pipe thin lines of chocolate back and forth over the squares' surface. Refrigerate the squares briefly, just to set the chocolate. Remove from the refrigerator and set aside in a cool, dry place.
• To store, remove squares from the foil and place them in layers, separated by strips of aluminum, in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place up to 1 week.

EGGS FLORENTINE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in cheeses, spinach, butter, nutmeg and pepper sauce. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

COOKIE: FLORENTINE SQUARES

Steps:

• 1. Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lined a 12 x 15-1/2 x ½ baking sheet with foil, leaving a 2 inch over hang @ each end. 2. Pour cream, corn syrup, and sugar into heavy saucepan. Stir to combine, then add butter. Stir over med-low heat until butter melts. Then raise heat to medium, and stire constantly with wooden spoon-especially toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching. Cook mixture until register 238 degrees on candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir almonds. 3. Pour mixture onto center of baking sheet and spread it in as thin a layer as possible. A pool about 8 inches in diameter is fine. Bake for 3 minutes; then spread the more liquid mixture evenly over the baking sheet. If the mixture still does not completely cover the sheet, bake another minute then tilt the sheet to allow the mixture to spread evenly. Bake for about 5-6 minutes total or until golden but not dark brown. 4. Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool for 2-3 minutes. While mixture is still warm, but no longer liquid, cut 1-1/2 squares using a ruler and pastry wheel. If mixture is too warm, it will not cut cleanly. If mixture too cool, it will splinter or not cut; in that case return to oven for few seconds to soften it a bit. 5. After cutting, drizzle with chocolate. Remove squares from foil and store them in air tight metal container @ room temperature up to 1 week.