NUTTY FLORENTINE BARS

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Nutty Florentine bars image

This clever tray bake combines a buttery shortbread base with a Florentine inspired topping - finished with cherries and dark chocolate

Provided by Sarah Cook

Categories     Afternoon tea, Treat

Time 1h5m

Yield Cuts into 18-21 bars

Number Of Ingredients 14

225g salted butter , at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
¼ tsp almond extract
200g plain flour , plus 1 tbsp extra
100g ground rice
75ml double cream
50g toasted flaked almonds
25g whole blanched almonds
25g walnuts , roughly chopped
25g pecans
25g blanched hazelnuts , halved
50g glacé cherries , sliced
25g dried cherries
50g dark chocolate , melted

Steps:

  • Start with the base. Line a 20cm square tin with some baking parchment. Put 200g of the butter and 100g of the sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add the almond extract, flour and ground rice, and pulse until the mixture comes together. Press the mixture into the base of your tin, flattening the surface as much as possible. Chill for at least 30 mins, or for up to 2 days.
  • Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel off the cling film, prick the base a few times with the prongs of a fork. Bake for 25 mins.
  • Meanwhile, put the remaining 25g butter, 75g sugar and 1 tbsp flour in a small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the butter and sugar have melted. Stir in the cream until smooth, then the nuts, glacé and dried cherries.
  • When the base has baked, dot the hot nut mixture all over the top and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Return to oven and bake for another 10-20 mins until the top is golden - check every 5 mins. Cool to room temperature, then melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over, but not touching, a pan of hot water. Drizzle the chocolate all over the top, and leave to set solid before removing and cutting into thin bars.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 257 calories, Fat 16 grams fat, SaturatedFat 8 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 24 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 12 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 3 grams protein, Sodium 0.2 milligram of sodium

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