Shelly's Recipe

SANDIES BY THE SEA

Category: Cookies

2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and very finely ground*
20 caramel candies
3 tbsp cream or whole milk
2 to 3 tbsp large crystal sea salt or fleur de sel, as needed**
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate morsels (at least 60% cocoa)

*To toast pecans, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350 for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool.

*Sea salt and fleur de sel are found at specialty food markets and most supermarkets. For this recipe, choose a white or pink variety with large crystals.

Combine flour and salt in bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to blend. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each. Stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough until firm.

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or butter the sheets. Roll dough into 1 inch balls with floured hands. Place on baking sheet at least one inch apart, and form a cavity in center of each ball with thumb.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are brown and set. Remove cookies from oven; cool briefly on baking sheet. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.

Melt caramel candies and cream together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill center of each cookie with approximately 1/2 tsp of caramel. Sprinkle warm centers evenly with sea salt, and let sit until firm.

Place chocolate in plastic bag in a bowl, heat on medium at 30-second intervals in microwave. Massage between each interval until melted. Cut a small hole in bottom corner of bag, drizzle chocolate across each cookie; add additional salt if desired and allow cookies to sit until chocolate has become firm.