Chocolate Caramel Treasures (Recipe)

[Guest guest]

Chocolate Caramel Treasures

 

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

 

for Caramel Filling

10 plain caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons heavy cream

 

for Chocolate Drizzle

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (not

unsweetened) finely chopped

 

Directions

 

1. Beat together butter, sugar, yolk, milk, and vanilla with an electric

mixer until blended well. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt and beat on low

speed until mixture forms a dough. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until

firm, at least 30 minutes.

 

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.

 

3. Roll scant tablespoons of dough into balls, then coat with egg white,

letting excess drip off, and roll in nuts to coat. Arrange balls, as

coated, 1 1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheets and press your thumb

into center of balls to flatten, leaving a depression. Bake in batches

in middle of oven until puffed slightly but centers are soft, 10 to 12

minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press centers of cookies again

(we used handle end of a wooden spoon). Transfer to racks to cool.

 

Make filling while cookies cool

Heat caramels and cream in a small saucepan over moderately low heat,

stirring occasionally, until melted and mixture is smooth. Spoon into

centers of cookies and cool completely.

 

Make chocolate drizzle one hour before serving

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of

barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool to warm and pour

into a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Seal bag and snip 1 corner to

form a small hole. Drizzle chocolate over the cookies and let stand

until set, about 30 minutes. Makes about 2 and a half dozen.

 

Lori