Florentine Cookies are a thin, crunchy cookie containing nuts and candied fruit glued together with a sticky mix of honey and/or sugar. The cookies are baked and then usually dipped in or drizzled with chocolate. Almonds, hazelnuts, and/or pecans are commonly used as the “nut” portion. Raisins and dried cherries are common fruit choices, though some Florentine cookies contain citrus zest or glace cherries. The Florentine is particularly popular during the holiday season. Though there name would suggest the Florentine cookie is from Florence, Italy, they were alledgedly invented in Paris, France.http://www.joyofbaking.com/Florentines.htmlhttp://www.lesproduitsduterroir.com/index.asp?ID=361&IDF=481

The crispy almost wafer like common Florentine shape and texture makes a great sandwich cookie. Two cookies can hold jams, ice cream, more chocolate, whipped cream or any delicious filling you’d like to sandwich between two nutty layers. It should be warned this method can be messy and may even require a fork.http://www.familyoven.com/recipe/almond-florentine-and-black-raspberry-chip-ice-cream-sandwiches/61032

Florentine Cookies can also be made in a slightly thicker bar form. In this common English variant a pre-baked pastry is covered in the nut, fruit and honey mixture and then baked and dipped in chocolate. In a way this method takes the classic Florentine cookie and attaches it to a softer bar pastry.http://www.joyofbaking.com/Florentines.html

Many assume the Florentine Cookie owes it’s origin to Florence as Florentine literally by definition means “from Florence, Italy”, however this likely is not the case. The Florentine cookie was, according to legend invented in Paris, France. The story maintains that the cookie was created in King Louis XIV’s kitchens at the Palace of Versailles for the Medici of Florence by the king’s master pastry chefs. King Louis XIV ruled France from 1643 to 1715, however he did not moved to the Palace of Versailles until 1682 which places the cookies birth date somewhere in this 33 year range.http://www.lesproduitsduterroir.com/index.asp?ID=361&IDF=481http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Florentinehttp://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1257052204396412