Chocolate Caramel Treasures

Hello dear readers,

December brings many extra responsibilities to my world! As a church music director and also a middle school teacher, there are so many extra music practices, Christmas events, parties and celebrations to organize and plan.... It's really fun,but it takes lots of time and effort. SO.... I am going to put the blog 'down for a nap' until the hustle and bustle is over. See you in a few weeks!! 

Merry Christmas to you all! 

It’s always problematic to file recipes and keep them all tidy and put in place. At least for me.  I have a few favorite methods of organizing them….notebooks, baskets, piles, big paper clips, shelves and bookcases. Believe me when I tell you that I am a clutter person. You should see my classroom! My kitchen is no better  - little piles of special projects in every corner. The worst (or best, depending on how you see it) place is next to my bed….. oh! So many great ideas are ready to bloom from the piles there! Let’s just chalk it up to creativity, shall we?  (hopefully, my husband is not reading this. And fellow teachers, please just keep your comments silent….  !)

This wonderful recipe comes from a few pages I have saved in a paper clip from Gourmet Magazine 1999. Yes, it took me 13 years to make these… and it was worth it! So, no comment from you organized people out there!

Listen to the names of the cookies in this most special bundle of magazine clippings, and tell me you wouldn’t want to save them for 13 years.

Sleigh Bells (can you even resist this name?? How fun!!)

Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch (gotta make these!)

Grandpa  Landwehrle’s Pfeffernusse (German + Spice + Grandpa = heaven on earth)

Chocolate Sambuca Crinkle Cookies (I made these last week… yes, I have a bottle of Sambuca in my cupboard – don’t judge me!)

Swedish Ginger Thins (these would be great with coffee… I am currently reading “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series, which takes place in Sweden and all they do is drink coffee in the book!)

Rainbow Cookies (I have made these also – they have lots of colorful layers)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies (I have had very bad luck with the so-called-pinwheel method)

Serina Kaker (some kind of Norwegian Christmas cookie)

Chocolate Caramel Treasures (who could resist?)

Here’s what you need for the cookie:

1 stick butter, softened

2/3 C sugar

1 egg yolk

2 T whole milk

1 t vanilla

1 C Dutch­ – process unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ salt

1 large egg white, lightly whipped

½ C finely chopped hazelnuts

Here’s what you need for the filling:

10 -12 plain caramels, unwrapped

2 T heavy cream

Here’s what you do:

Beat together butter, sugar, yolk, milk, and vanilla with an electric mixer until blended well. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt and beat on low speed until mixture forms a dough. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll scant tablespoons of dough into balls, then coat with egg white, letting excess drip off, and roll in nuts to coat. Arrange balls, once coated, 1 ½ inches apart on greased baking sheets and press your thumb into the center of balls to flatten, leaving a depression. Bake in batches in middle of oven until puffed slightly but centers are still soft, 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press centers of cookies again with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make the filling while the cookies are cooling: Heat the caramels and cream until melted over low heat. Spoon the caramel filling into the cookie. Cool completely.