Chocolate & Orange Flower Florentines

These deliciously crisp little cookies are actually gluten-free, and they're high in protein too (for a cookie) since they're primarily made out of almonds. 

And they make great holiday cookies : )

You can make them plain, or cover them with melted chocolate. Either way, they're delightful!

Read on for the recipe...

Chocolate & Orange Flower Florentines

(makes approximately 15 cookies)

1 large egg white

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 3/4 cups slivered almonds

1/2 tsp orange blossom water*

*if by chance you don't like floral flavours, just use vanilla instead.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and brush lightly with oil.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until all the sugar is dissolved.

Place a spoonful of mixture onto the baking sheet. Using a fork dipped in cold water, delicately spread out/flatten into a circle shape. Make sure not to leave big spaces between the almonds as you spread them out. They may look like they won't stay together, but as they cook the sugar & egg white form a candy that binds the almonds together.

Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown (15-25 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies).

Allow them to cool on their baking tray, then remove with a spatula.

optional:

Melt a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips and spread over the flat side of the cooled florentines.

Store in a air-tight container, or in the fridge if you keep your house on the warm side (like me) to prevent the chocolate from melting.

Enjoy!