Shelly's Recipe

SANDIES BY THE SEA

Category: Cookies

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

Combine flour and salt in a bowl; set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar using electric mixer or wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to incorporate. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each, then stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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 1-inch apart, and depress a cavity in the center of each ball using your thumb or a rounded implement. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, or until bottoms are brown and set. Check halfway though baking to see that the depressions are still deep enough to fill. If not, use a floured spoon to redefine.

Remove cookies from oven, let sit a few minutes on baking sheet. Transfer with metal spatula to wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.

Melt caramel candies and cream together in saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill center of each cookie with about ½ teaspoon caramel. While filling is still warm, sprinkle centers evenly with sea salt, and let sit until firm.

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

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

Makes 1 to 3 dozen 2-inch cookies.