I guess this recipe could qualify as a florentine but not in the traditional sense as it has no butter in the recipe. The crisp texture and aromatic flavour of this delectable treat is redolent of the Middle East and its light enough to be enjoyed guilt free. They also happen to be gluten and grain free if that’s your thing – but that wasn’t the aim here – it’s more of a happy accident.
Ingredients
- 2 medium free-range egg whites
- 100 g icing sugar
- 260 g sliced almonds
- Grated zest of 1 washed and dried orange
- 1 tbsp Rose water or orange blossom water
- Mild vegetable oil or coconut oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper brushed lightly with a mild vegetable oil or coconut oil lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Mix all the ingredients together gently until thoroughly combined.
Next pour some water in a bowl and place it near you as you will use the water to help avoid the mixture sticking to your hands.
Dip your hand in the bowl of water and pick up portions of the mixture to make the size of biscuit you want ( I made mine quite large here). Space them well apart from each other and dip a fork in the water and flatten each amount so that it is very thin.
Try to make them as thin as possible without creating too many gaps between the almond slices.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until they are golden brown and check underneath one cookie to make sure they are cooked through.
Allow them to cool properly and then gently, using a spatula, remove each one and leave to cool a little more on a rack. Store in a sealed jar.
You can even drizzle some chocolate over them to make them extra special or add slivered green pistachios into the mix for colour!
