CHOCOLATE CARAMEL THUMBPRINTS RECIPES

Steps:

• Separate egg; set egg yolk aside. Cover and chill egg white until needed. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350°F In small saucepan, cook and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make indention in center of each cookie.
• Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentation. (If necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it spoon able.) Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool.
• In another small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Drizzle cookies with chocolate mixture. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Steps:

• Separate egg; place yolk and white in separate bowls. Cover and chill egg white until needed. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat well. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
• In another bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are firm. If cookie centers puff during baking, repress with your thumb. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentations of cookies. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. (If necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it spoonable.)
• In another saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies.** Let stand until chocolate is set. Makes 36 cookies.