Preheat the
oven to 325°F/170°C/gas
3.
Line four cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Heat the
cream with the vanilla pod, butter, and sugar in
a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to a
boil and remove from the heat immediately.
Discard the vanilla pod and let cool.
Mix the
almonds, hazelnuts, candied peel, cherries,
angelica, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the
cooled cream mixture and mix well.
Drop heaping
teaspoons of the mixture 4 inches (10 cm) apart
onto the prepared cookie sheets, flattening them
to make 2-inch (5 cm) circles. Do not place more
than five cookies on one sheet.
Bake, one
sheet at a time, for 10-12 minutes, or until
golden around the edges. Cool on the sheets
until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to
racks and let cool completely.
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over
barely simmering water. Lay the cold Florentines
flat-side upwards on a sheet of waxed paper.
Spread the
chocolate over them with a pastry brush. For a
thick coating, paint the cookies several times.
When they are
nearly set, make swirly patterns with a fork on
the white chocolate base.