Recipe (Re)creation: Chocolate + Orange Florentines

This recipe is courtesy of the Ottolenghi Cookbook, the newest cookbook by the authors of bestsellers Plenty and Jerusalem.  This book is equally wonderful and I highly recommend it.  I went straight to this florentine recipe since I have always had a soft spot for chocolate oranges around the holidays.  I got one in my stocking every year as a kid,  and now that flavor combination always reminds me of Christmas.  I actually looked high and low for chocolate oranges to put in our stockings this year and came back empty-handed, so these helped fill the void.  I ended up drizzling dark chocolate on the cookies, but they are also delicious on their own without the chocolate.  Either way, you can't go wrong.

Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 3/4 cups sliced almonds
• zest from 1 orange
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate ships

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
-Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with oil.
-Put egg whites, powdered sugar, sliced almonds, and orange zest in a bowl.
-Mix gently and pick up the mix to make small mounds evenly spaced on sheet.
-Dip a fork in cold water and flatten each mound thinly.
-Place one baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
-Repeat with the second sheet, baking until lightly golden.
-Meanwhile heat 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips over a double burner.
-When fully melted, drizzle chocolate on the cooled cookies using a fork.
-Eat immediately or store in a sealed container.