Lacy Florentines

Hmmm....what to say about these cookies???? Well, first of all, they didn't turn out all that cookie-like for me, as you can see. However, I cracked them into pieces and they still worked fine. They tasted like a mixture of sushi ginger (it was that strong) and English Toffee. At first, I was repulsed. After a few bites, well, let's just say that they were the first thing gone, and the one cookie I kept getting into. These are courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Desserts magazine.

So you can see in this picture how I did make them into a circular cookie shape but then they ran together while baking.
Oh, and this is an important part of the cookie. This is crystallized ginger. It costs $37 for 2 oz when I looked online. I made about 1 1/2 cups for $4. Super easy. I used this recipe.

But on to the cookie.

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c butter

1/3 c whipping cream

2 tbls honey

1 c rolled oats

1 c finely chopped blanched almonds (I toasted mine and they weren't blanched-whatever.)

1/2 c finely chopped crystallized ginger

2 tbls flour

1/4 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

4 oz bittersweet chocolate melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with tin foil. In heavy saucepan combine sugar, honey, butter, and cream. Cook over low heat till butter is melted and sugar dissolved.

2. Increase heat and bring to boiling. Brush down sides of pan with damp pastry brush to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Cook till soft ball (238 degrees). Remove from heat and quickly stir in oats, almonds, ginger, flour and lemon peel.

3. Drop dough by tbls 3 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Dip fork in cold water and press top of each cookie to flatten. Bake on seperate racks for 8-10 mins or until golden brown, switching cookie sheets halfway through baking. Cool completely on cookie sheet.

4. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Makes about 36.

These I definitely will make again.