Recipe

September 30, 2009

Orange Pistachio Florentines Recipe

Recipe:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Step 2: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel (orange part only) from one orange. Slice peel into long 1/8″ matchsticks and then cut the matchsticks crosswise into 1/2″ pieces. This should measure about 3 tbsp. Use a fine grater or microplane to remove the peel from the other orange. This should measure about 1 tbsp. Set peels aside.

Step 3: In a small pot over medium-low heat stir cream, sugars and butter until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Stir in pistachios, flour, orange juice concentrate and reserved orange peels. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Boil about 30 seconds and then remove from heat.

Step 4: Drop a scant tbsp of batter (it will be very runny) onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat, leaving 3-4″ between cookies. Bake in the centre of preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or until golden. Watch cookies carefully during the final two minutes of cooking. They should be crisp but not burnt.

Step 5: Remove pan from oven and carefully slip sheet of parchment onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer cookies off paper and onto rack and cool completely. Wipe and reuse parchment. Once cookies are cool, set on absorbent paper. Tip: for perfectly round cookies, reshape them with a metal spatula as soon as they come out of the oven.

Step 6: In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate. Use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of chocolate onto the underside of each cookie. Let cookies rest, chocolate side up, in a cool place until chocolate hardens.

Makes about 40 4″ cookies

Ingredients

2 large navel oranges
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 cup toasted unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, at room temperature
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

Yield:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Step 2: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel (orange part only) from one orange. Slice peel into long 1/8″ matchsticks and then cut the matchsticks crosswise into 1/2″ pieces. This should measure about 3 tbsp. Use a fine grater or microplane to remove the peel from the other orange. This should measure about 1 tbsp. Set peels aside.

Step 3: In a small pot over medium-low heat stir cream, sugars and butter until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Stir in pistachios, flour, orange juice concentrate and reserved orange peels. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Boil about 30 seconds and then remove from heat.

Step 4: Drop a scant tbsp of batter (it will be very runny) onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat, leaving 3-4″ between cookies. Bake in the centre of preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or until golden. Watch cookies carefully during the final two minutes of cooking. They should be crisp but not burnt.

Step 5: Remove pan from oven and carefully slip sheet of parchment onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer cookies off paper and onto rack and cool completely. Wipe and reuse parchment. Once cookies are cool, set on absorbent paper. Tip: for perfectly round cookies, reshape them with a metal spatula as soon as they come out of the oven.

Step 6: In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt chocolate. Use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of chocolate onto the underside of each cookie. Let cookies rest, chocolate side up, in a cool place until chocolate hardens.

Makes about 40 4″ cookies

Photographer:

Michael Graydon