Sandies By The Sea

Recipe from Wisconsin Dairy Council.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour  
1/4 teaspoon salt  
1 cup (2 sticks) 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*
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)

Directions:

Combine flour and salt in bowl; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to blend. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each. Stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough until firm. Preheat oven to 350°F. 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 one inch apart, and form a cavity in center of each ball with thumb. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are brown and set. Remove cookies from oven; cool briefly on baking sheet. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.

Melt caramel candies and cream together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill center of each cookie with approximately 1/2 teaspoons of caramel. Sprinkle warm centers evenly with sea salt, and let sit until firm. Place chocolate in plastic bag in a bowl, heat on medium at 30-second intervals in microwave. Massage between each interval until melted. Cut a small hole in bottom corner of bag, drizzle chocolate across each cookie; add additional salt if desired and allow cookies to sit until chocolate has become firm.

*To toast pecans, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool.

**Sea salt and fleur de sel are found at specialty food markets and most supermarkets. For this recipe, choose a white or pink variety with large crystals.