{"id":8255,"date":"2026-10-19T15:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T06:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/?post_type=sweetlore&p=8255"},"modified":"2026-10-31T18:49:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:49:16","slug":"florentine","status":"publish","type":"sweetlore","link":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/en\/sweetlore\/florentine\/","title":{"rendered":"Florentine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A florentine is a baked confection of almonds held together by a thin layer of sugar. Some versions are coated with chocolate on the underside, so that chocolate, cooled until set, sits against sugar that has been baked until hard. This confection, in which nuts are bound with sugar, honey, dairy products and similar ingredients, is familiar in Japan as a square set on a sabl\u00e9<\/a>. In Europe, thin, round versions baked without a base and thin, lace-like sheets broken into pieces are also popular. The name means \u201csomething from Florence,\u201d but several theories about its origin have been handed down.<\/p>\n

\n\"Round\n
Florentines sold in a supermarket (February 12, 2009; location unknown). Chocolate is visible around the thin almond layer. Photo: H\u00e4mb\u00f6rger \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>. Downscaled version obtained from Commons. No content alterations or cropping were made for this use.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Spreading chocolate on a thinly baked nut layer<\/h2>\n

Adding candied orange peel or candied cherries to sliced almonds brings the bitterness of the peel and small pieces of fruit in between the nuts and the sugar. In a Le Cordon Bleu recette (the proportions of ingredients and the method), the chopped fruit is first separated with a small amount of flour and then combined with warmed cream, sugar and honey. The flour is not used to make a thick dough; it is dusted over the fruit to separate the pieces so that they do not clump together in one place.<\/p>\n

Small mounds of the mixture are spaced widely apart because the heat makes the sugar syrup run and spread. The school’s baking method is a two-stage process: the florentines are heated until the edges bubble, cooled once, and then baked again at a lower temperature. Separating the stage in which the mixture spreads from the stage in which it dries and hardens produces a single thin, crisp piece. In another recette that adds hazelnuts, the warm mixture is rolled out between sheets of paper, chilled and then baked, and the thin sheet is broken into pieces. Whether baked one at a time into thin rounds or broken into irregular sheets, they offer the crisp bite of thinly baked sugar and nuts.<\/p>\n

The flat underside is thinly spread with tempered dark chocolate. At Le Cordon Bleu, a first coat is applied and the air is removed, and then a second coat is applied and the excess is removed. Some recettes mix hazelnut spread into the chocolate, so the flavor of the coating and the way it sets vary. Because the baked sugar surface becomes sticky when it absorbs moisture, how the florentines are stored after cooling also affects their crispness.<\/p>\n

\n\"Florentines\n
Florentines made with almonds, chocolate and candied fruit (January 31, 2016; location unknown). Both the side on which the colors of the fruit remain and the underside covered in chocolate are visible. Photo: Popo le Chien \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC0<\/a>. Downscaled version obtained from Commons. No content alterations or cropping were made for this use.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

The sabl\u00e9 base and regional differences<\/h2>\n

In the sabl\u00e9-based versions familiar in Japan, a crumbly layer of flour and butter is added beneath the hard, brittle nut layer. Besides versions cut into squares, there are also versions in which the sabl\u00e9 is piped into a ring, chilled almond caramel mixture is placed inside it, and the two are baked together. Because of the ring-shaped rim, the upper layer stays inside it during baking.<\/p>\n

FUKU+RE, a confectionery shop in Kagoshima, makes florentines by filling owl-shaped monaka wafer shells with almonds and caramel. This is the shop’s own style, combining the light crispness of the wafer shell, which differs from a sabl\u00e9 base, with the toasty flavor of the nuts and sugar.<\/p>\n

The 2025 edition of the German Food Code describes Florentiner<\/em> as thin almond or nut baked goods with brown edges and a lighter center. Fruit and honey are optional, the flour content is no more than 5% of the weight of the mass that binds the nuts, and chocolate is usually used on the bottom. The related Nussknacker<\/em> is a separate category that uses larger nuts and is sometimes baked on a shortcrust base with a rim. In Germany, the names are distinguished not only by whether there is a base but also by other features, such as the size of the nuts.<\/p>\n

Today, the name appears among small Christmas baked goods at bakeries in southern Germany and among winter items at confectioneries in Austria. Regional differences lie not only in whether there is a base but also in the season in which they are sold.<\/p>\n

\n\"Square\n
Square confections photographed as Japanese florentines (February 26, 2020; location unknown). The top and bottom are placed side by side, showing the almond-topped surface and the flat baked base. Photo: \u6bd2\u5cf6\u307f\u308b\u304f \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC0<\/a>. Downscaled version obtained from Commons. No content alterations or cropping were made for this use.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Origin legends linked to two queens<\/h2>\n

The French word florentin<\/em> comes from the Italian fiorentino<\/em>, which means \u201ca person or thing from Florence.\u201d According to a famous legend associated with this name, Catherine de’ Medici, who was born in Florence, brought florentines to France along with her pastry cooks when she married the French prince Henri in 1533. This is one of a series of legends claiming that Catherine introduced various confections to France. It is uncertain whether the florentine as it is known today was introduced at the time of the wedding.<\/p>\n

A story handed down at another confectionery shop centers on an earlier queen, Anne of Brittany. In this account, when Medici guests were to be received at the court of Louis XII, a cook who had worked in Italy created a confection of almonds, orange and chocolate. However, the introduction of chocolate to the French court is associated with the marriage of Louis XIII in 1615, about a century after Anne’s time.<\/p>\n

Another naming theory likens the confection’s roundness and golden color to the florin, the gold coin of Florence. This theory is based on the shape and color, but who first made the confection and where it originated remain uncertain.<\/p>\n

The 1909 \u201cflorentin\u201d took a different form<\/h2>\n

The \u201cflorentin\u201d that appears in a 1909 pastry book is a rectangular confection made with apples and raspberries. A dough of wheat flour, butter, sugar and eggs with added cinnamon is rolled out on a baking sheet and topped with raspberry-flavored apples. The egg-washed surface is scored with a fork in a diamond pattern, baked and cut into rectangles. It differs from the thin nut crisp well known today in both the fruit used and the main ingredients of the dough.<\/p>\n

A theory that it was created in Switzerland and its production in Ravensburg, Germany, also appear in the history of the name. Although the name refers to Florence, different histories have been handed down in various places. Present-day florentines also differ in whether they have a base, in the size of the nuts and fruit, in the thinness of the sugar layer and in the chocolate on the underside. Even under the same name, the impression they leave changes depending on whether you enjoy the crumbly thickness of the sabl\u00e9 or the sharp crispness of thin sugar and nuts.<\/p>\n

Glossary<\/h2>\n

Monaka wafer shell<\/strong>: A thin shell made from glutinous rice or similar ingredients. In this article, it is used in a shop’s version filled with almonds and caramel.<\/p>

FUKU+RE<\/strong>: A confectionery shop in Kagoshima. It makes florentines using monaka wafer shells.<\/p>

Florentine \/ florentin<\/em><\/strong>: A French word for people or things connected with Florence. Where this confection originated is uncertain.<\/p>

Catherine de’ Medici<\/strong>: A Florentine-born figure who married the future King Henri II of France in 1533. She is the central figure in the legend that she brought confections to France.<\/p>

Anne of Brittany<\/strong>: Queen of Louis XII. She appears in another florentine legend about receiving Medici guests.<\/p>

Florin<\/strong>: The gold coin of Florence. A naming theory links it to the confection’s roundness and color, but supporting evidence has not been confirmed.<\/p>

Tempering<\/strong>: The process of adjusting the temperature of chocolate so that it has the right sheen and sets properly when cooled.<\/p>

Sabl\u00e9<\/strong>: A crumbly baked biscuit made mainly with wheat flour and butter. In florentines, it can also serve as the base that supports the nut layer.<\/p>

Candied fruit<\/strong>: A confectionery ingredient made by infusing fruit flesh or peel with sugar. Orange peel and similar ingredients also add aroma.<\/p>

References<\/h2>\n
  1. \n

    FUKU+RE, \u201cWhat Is a Florentine?\u201d (in Japanese)<\/a> \u2014 Describes the shop’s own product, which combines almonds and caramel in an owl-shaped monaka wafer shell. The legends about the origin are not used as evidence of historical fact.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  2. \n

    Le Cordon Bleu, \u201cChocolate Florentines\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The step of separating the fruit with flour, baking twice and the method of spreading chocolate. Limited to a single recette.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  3. \n

    King Arthur Baking, \u201cFree-Form Hazelnut Florentines\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The method of making a thin hazelnut sheet and breaking it, the coating and moisture absorption. Limited to a single recette.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  4. \n

    German Food Code, \u201cLeits\u00e4tze f\u00fcr Feine Backwaren,\u201d 2025 edition, \u00a72.3.9\u201310<\/a> \u2014 The classification of Florentiner and Nussknacker in Germany. Not a standard for all products in Japan.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  5. \n

    Privat B\u00e4ckerei Wimmer, \u201cWeihnachtsb\u00e4ckerei\u201d<\/a> \u2014 An example of a southern German bakery that includes florentines among its small Christmas confections. Not a source on the history of their origin.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  6. \n

    Konditorei Waltner, \u201cWeihnachten\u201d<\/a> \u2014 Winter items at an Austrian confectionery. Not proof of a tradition in all regions and all periods.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  7. \n

    Tomizawa Shoten, \u201cSabl\u00e9 Florentin\u201d (in Japanese)<\/a> \u2014 An example of a Japanese version with a sabl\u00e9 base. The dough is piped into a circle; this does not mean a ring shape with a hole through the center.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  8. \n

    Dictionnaire de l’Acad\u00e9mie fran\u00e7aise, \u201cflorentin\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The French etymology from fiorentino<\/em>. Does not indicate where the confection originated.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  9. \n

    Palace of Versailles, \u201cLe chocolat \u00e0 Versailles\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The palace’s explanation of food culture, which links the introduction of chocolate to France with the 1615 marriage. Not the year of the first use anywhere in Europe.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  10. \n

    Maison de Florentins, \u201cLes origines des florentins\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The shop’s legend centered on Anne of Brittany. Not proof of historical fact.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  11. \n

    Pierre Leclercq, \u201cCatherine de M\u00e9dicis \u00e0 la base de la gastronomie fran\u00e7aise\u201d<\/a> \u2014 A source-critical examination of the myth that Catherine introduced elements of food culture to France. Not a record of the invention of the florentine specifically.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  12. \n

    Le Monde, September 17, 1997, p. 24, \u201cLes florentins\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The difference in what the name referred to in the 1909 specialist book, the Swiss theory attributed to a representative of the craft, and production in Ravensburg. The relevant page in the original 1909 images has not been viewed.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  13. \n

    Darenne \/ Duval, Trait\u00e9 de p\u00e2tisserie moderne (1909), public reproduction<\/a> \u2014 The dough, apples, diamond scoring and cutting into rectangles in the Florentins entry.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  14. Research notes<\/h3><\/li>

  15. The full text of the 1909 entry was checked in a third-party reproduction that transcribes the original text, and the point that it is a rectangular confection of apples and raspberries was also cross-checked against the 1997 press report. The original Gallica images have not been viewed because the connection returned a 403 error. The entry was not used to newly assert detailed quantities, original spellings or printed page numbers, nor was it treated as a source showing the year in which the modern thin nut crisp was invented. The criticism of the myth of Catherine’s introductions draws on Pierre Leclercq’s research on food history, and the court history of chocolate in 1615 draws on the Palace of Versailles’ explanation.<\/p><\/li>

  16. Editorial notes (Japanese re-edit)<\/h3><\/li>

  17. No recette has been presented showing that the present-day confection was made at the time of Catherine de’ Medici’s wedding in 1533. The historical fact of the marriage is distinguished from the introduction of individual confections. The legend that places a confection containing chocolate at the court of Anne of Brittany has a chronological problem. The likening to the florin is separate from the etymology traceable in dictionaries, and none of these stories is a reliable record supporting invention at a specific court.<\/p><\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A florentine is a confection of nuts bound with caramel-like sugar and baked. In Japan, the square version with an almond layer on a sabl\u00e9 base is familiar, but thin discs without a base are also made under the same name.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6460,"menu_order":10,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_parade_sweetlore_meta":{"en":"Florentine","subtitle":"Nuts and caramel: how the form changes with or without a base","topics":"Almonds and honey\uff0fWith or without a base\uff0fCaveats about the name and origin","country":"","show_toc":true,"ingredients":["chocolate","fruit","nuts","cream","butter","honey"],"texture":[],"occasion":[],"method":["baked"],"season":[]},"footnotes":""},"sweetlore_category":[151],"class_list":["post-8255","sweetlore","type-sweetlore","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"sweetlore_related_products":[8918],"sweetlore_related_faqs":null,"sweetlore_related_voices":null,"sweetlore_related_mode":"manual","sweetlore_related_articles":[8277,8248,8249,8250,8251,8254,8257,8258]},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t