Hi Ursula, if you haven't tried using tempered chocolate before, now is the time. Tempered chocolate is chocolate that's been heated slowly and and to precise temperatures so it will harden into a solid state once it cools. Otherwise, you can be left with a chocolate coating that stays soft and is difficult to handle (and eat!). Check out our basic guide to tempering chocolate for a full tutorial. As far as dipping your florentines, you can try using chocolate dippings tools (there are some basic tools available from online retailers) to reduce the amount of mess that's made during the dipping process. Let any excess chocolate drip off each cookie before placing it chocolate-side up and allowing it to set. If the chocolate has been properly tempered, it should start showing signs of hardening within about 5 to 10 minutes and be fully set within 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the kind of chocolate. We hope this makes your next florentine-making session less messy! Kye@KAF

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