Chocolate Caramel Treasures

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg , lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 10 plain caramels, unwrapped (1x1 1/2-inch each)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate or 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Recipe

• 1 cookies: cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla.
• 2 sift in flour, cocoa and salt and beat on low speed until dough forms.
• 3 wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• 4 roll dough into 1 t balls, coat with egg , and roll in nuts.
• 5 place 1 1/2" apart on greased cookie sheets.
• 6 flatten centers of cookies with thumb, leaving a depression.
• 7 bake at 350°, 10-12 minutes or until slightly puffed but centers are still soft.
• 8 leave cookies on cookie sheet and immediately depress centers of cookies again (i use a wooden spoon handle end).
• 9 move to wire racks and cool.
• 10 filling: microwave caramels and cream until melted and smooth.
• 11 use a spoon and fill the centers of partially cooled cookies and then cool completely.
• 12 chocolate drizzle: microwave chocolate until melted and place in resealable plastic bag.
• 13 make a small cut in one corner and drizzle a narrow bead of chocolate over the cookies.
• 14 chocolate will set in 30 minutes.