This is my first attempt at florentines. A bit fiddly but still yummy - anything coated in chocolate is! Worth the trouble for a special occasion, such as watching the final of the Superubgy where the Highlanders won against the Hurricanes 21-14! This recipe is adapted from the good ol' NZ Women's Weekly.

100g flaked almonds
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup chopped mixed peel
1/4 cup chopped dried peaches (most recipes use glacé cherries but you can use any dried fruit such as cranberries, pears, prunes)
1/3 cup flour
100g butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
200g dark chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper or bake in batches.

2. Mix the almonds, sultanas, peel, fruit and flour together in a bowl.

3. In a small saucepan melt the butter over a moderate heat, then stir in the sugar and golden syrup, mixing until sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil and allow to boil for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Pour the sugar mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto the baking tray, allowing space to spread. Bake for 5-7 minutes until biscuits are golden and bubbling.

5. Remove from the oven and shape each biscuit into a tidy round using a small knife or a cookie cutter. Cool biscuits on a wire rack.

6. Melt chocolate over a gentle heat and spread the base of each biscuit with chocolate. Allow to set completely before storing in an airtight container.