hese are inspired by Nigella Lawson’s Nut Bars, which are an absolute favourite of mine.
Makes about 12
60g (2oz) unsalted butter
60g (2oz) light brown muscovado sugar
2tsp liquid glucose
4 dried apricots, finely chopped
150g (5½oz) salted peanuts, roughly crushed
1½tbsp plain flour
100g (3½oz) dark chocolate, broken up
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Place the butter, sugar and glucose in a small saucepan and set over a medium heat. Stir until everything has melted and mixed together. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining ingredients, stirring well until everything is well mixed and the peanuts and apricots are coated in the sweet, buttery syrup. Dollop teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to the baking sheets, leaving large gaps between each one to allow the florentines to spread. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheets. Once cool, they should be bronzed and hard. Peel the baking paper from them and line them up on a wire cooling rack, with a sheet of foil underneath to catch drips. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Drizzle, pour or dollop chocolate over the florentines and allow to set.