The pure richness of La Farm Bakery’s Florentine bar is unfathomable.
Eat half the florentine in their busy café. While you are there, try the cafe's chicken and avocado salad for a refreshingly delicious and light meal. Their poulet au fromage sandwhich is said to be delish too. If you opt for the sandwhich, save the entire bar for an after-dinner dessert. Or, go ahead and do that early morning 10-mile run. Then, have lunch and dessert at La Farm.
Florentine cookies come in several forms. Some are thin and crispy while others are made into bars. Florentines are dipped into or drizzled with chocolate and may come with jewels of dried fruit. They are usually sweetened with a generous helping of sugar and honey.
The sweetness of La Farm’s version of a Florentine bar is tempered by a wonderfully crumbly, barely a 1/4 -inch layer of crust and an exceptionally thin layer of chocolate. You will surely enjoy the flavors of almonds and pecans.
It can be quite a process making Florentine bars, especially when working with chocolate. Here is a super simple, difficult-to-resist recipe for a no-mess bar. This treat is likely to be a rave at any gathering. It does not include nuts, though like the Florentine, it is quite a rich bar.
You may add a small amount of pecans or walnuts if you prefer, but first make the original bar without nuts. Get these treats out of the house….or you will end up consuming the entire batch.
GRANDMA'S NO-MESS COOKIES
Video demonstration is below.
INGREDIENTS
Set 1
1/2 stick margarine, melted
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. "quick 1 minute" oatmeal
1 can condensed milk, Eagle brand preferred
Tools: 9 x 13 glass baking dish, pan spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
DIRECTIONS
1. Spray the baking dish with pan spray, especially along the sides.
2. Pour the melted margarine into the dish. Till the dish to cover evenly.
3. Layer the remaining ingredients into the dish, in the order listed above.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. You must cut the bars WITHIN 5 MINUTES or they will be difficult to cut.
6. Bars may cool in the pan. Or, remove the bars and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Store in a plastic bag or cookie jar. They stay fresh for a week.
8. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for longer storage.
For more info: La Farm Bakery and Cafe, 4248 Cary Parkway, less than 100 yards from the intersection of High House Road and Cary Parkway. Phone: 919-657-0657
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nearby businesses: The Wine Merchant, ABC Store
Comments