Waterleaf executive chef Jean-Louis ClercMelted caramel candy adds luscious richness to the cocoa goodness of these cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, separated
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 26 chocolate-covered caramel candies, such as Dove or Rolo
Directions
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture in two batches and beat until combined, about 1minute. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat the egg white with a fork. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the pecans; put the rest on a plate. Roll 1 tablespoon of the dough into a ball, coat it with egg white, and roll it in the nuts. Repeat with the remaining dough. Put the cookies on the sheet, leaving about 3 inches between them. With your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie, then reshape the outside edges, if they crack.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then take them from the oven and gently press a caramel candy into each cookie. Bake until the chocolate and caramel soften, about 4 minutes. Grease the tines of a fork with butter and press on each candy to flatten it slightly. Sprinkle on the reserved nuts, then cool the cookies on a rack