Peppermint Florentine Cookies

Instructions

1. Position oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C. Line a large 17 x 12 inch (43 x 30 cm) baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. To peel the almonds: Over high heat, bring a saucepan of water to a boil.
Add the almonds and boil for 1 minute (no longer because they will soften). Drain and rinse with cold water to cool and stop them from cooking. Spread onto a towel and rub them until the peels come off. Dry well.
3. Add the almonds to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. It’s ok if there are a few larger pieces, but not too large.
4. In a mixing bowl, stir together the almonds and flour.
5. To a small saucepan add the sugar, heavy cream corn syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture comes to a rolling boil and the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the mixture to the almond mix along with the peppermint extract. Stir until combined.
6. Allow to cool until it is cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
7. Using a teaspoon measuring spoon, portion out 1 teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball using your hands. Roll the balls as round as you can, this will ensure nice round cookies. If the dough seems dry and crumbly, simply put a ball of the dough your warm hand it will soften so you can shape.
8. Place the dough balls 6-inches (15 cm) apart on to the prepared baking sheet. They spread to 3-inches (7 ½ cm) in diameter. You'll need to work in batches to fit your baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Time will depend on your oven. If they spread and join together, use a sharp knife to separate while they are hot and soft on the baking sheet as they will harden very quickly.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes until they are no longer soft, then transfer to a cooling rack using a thin spatula. Repeat with the remaining dough.
10. In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and microwave in 10 second increments, stirring in between until melted. Be careful not to burn.
11. Take a cooled cookie, spread the chocolate on one side, take another cookie and make a sandwich, press carefully as they are delicate. Repeat with all cookies.
12. Add a small amount of melted chocolate to the top of each cookie and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
13. Allow the cookies to cool and chocolate set. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.