Dark Chocolate for Florentines

Paul Hollywood's feedback on Laura's florentines was direct: 'I love that for flavors. I think the issue is you want something bitter. If you just kept it to dark chocolate underneath, you would have been on a winner.' The principle applies broadly to sweet, rich biscuits. Dark chocolate (60-70% cacao) provides bitter notes that create a flavor bridge between sweet caramel and salt—without it, the palate fatigues from relentless sweetness. Milk chocolate, while delicious on its own, lacks the intensity to cut through richness. Paul elaborated during the challenge briefing: 'The sweetness with the bitterness of the dark chocolate is a beautiful blend.' When pairing chocolate with salted caramel, let the dark chocolate do the balancing work.