pat's Recipe

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

Category: Cookies

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes) softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
FILLING
12-14 caramels
3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Roll into 1-in balls. Beat egg white. Dip balls into egg white and coate with nuts. Place 2-in apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 3/8 to 1/2-in indentation in the center of each ball. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Meanwhile, in a heavy sauce pan melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Using about 1/2 tsp caramel mixture, fill each cookie. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over cookies.

yield: about 2 1/2 dozen