Sluttishly Sweet: Fresh Fruit Flapjack Florentines

I love Florentines. Little bite-size pieces of sticky, crunchy, fruity, chocolaty yumminess — what's not to love??!

However, I stumbled the other day when I discovered that, when leaving my (very capable) man to do the weekly shop, I had neglected to ask for a selection of dried fruit and nuts. I'd failed to replenish stocks following the epic Florentine-making of Mother's Day Eve 2011 (they make fab gifts).

Undeterred, I decided to get creative. My creativity in the kitchen usually ends one of two ways; with whoops of joy and self-served pats-on-the-back, or with mild weeping whilst sitting under the kitchen table with a tea towel on my head (if you don't believe me ask my daughter about the incident that involved my unfathomable inability to follow a Delia Victoria sponge recipe a few years ago).

You'll be glad to know that this alternative Florentine recipe went down a treat, and I even intend to make them again for my next soiree. So, who better to share my triumphs with that my fellow Sluts?

You'll need:

• 55g butter
• 55g caster sugar
• 55g finely chopped fresh fruit (I used strawberries, grapes and cherries)
• 55g porridge oats
• 150g plain chocolate
• 2 tablespoons of soya milk

Make it!

• Preheat the oven to 150. Pop some baking paper onto a baking tray. Think about handsome men or good-looking shoes whilst you do this if you like.
• Melt the butter slowly in a pan over a low heat to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the sugar to the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely melted (I usually turn the heat up a smidge to aid the process). Once the sugar is melted, bring the mixture to the boil, but only just, it should look like a thick golden paste with a sheen of oil over the top.
• Take the mixture off the heat and add the chopped fruit and soya milk. Mix together. Add the oats and mix again, making sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Be aware that the fruit will add liquid to the mixture. If you find the consistency is too runny, you can add more oats to help bind it all together.
• Distribute the mixture in small dollops onto the baking tray and pop into your preheated oven for around 12 minutes, or until crispy.
• Once the Florentines are cooked, remove and leave to cool. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie, and either drizzle over the cooled Florentines or paint on the underside. You can use a fork to make ridges in the chocolate base for an authentic finish.