Caramel Cashew Thumbprints Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until mixed; beat on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and egg; beat until mixed, scraping bowl if necessary. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt until dough forms. Stir in cashews.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb into center of each cookie to make indentation, but do not press all the way to the cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges start to brown. Quickly remake indentation with end of wooden spoon handle if necessary. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
• Place 1 chocolate candy quarter in thumbprint of each warm cookie. Let stand 3 minutes to melt; with tip of small knife, swirl slightly to fill thumbprint. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped cashews. Cool completely.

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
• Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with the paddle attachment-the one that looks like the peace sign-and beat until creamy and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks and almond extract and beat for another minute or so, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped almonds.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. When combined, the dough should be soft and homogeneous. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
• When you're ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it into 3/4-inch balls. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Using the tip of your thumb, make a hole as deep as you can in each doughball without actually poking through the bottom. Roll your thumb around a little bit to widen the hole-this is your thumbprint!
• Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes or until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool. While the cookies are cooling, repoke each one with your thumb to create a really nice spot for the caramel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• For the caramel: In a medium saute pan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. Be careful not to swish the pan around as that can cause the sugar to recrystallize. As the mixture boils, the water will evaporate and the sugar will begin to turn brown, or "caramelize." This is the point when you DO NOT want to take your eyes off it! Things can take a turn for the worse here and there will be no recovery. As the sugar begins to turn gold and move toward golden brown, remove it from the heat and add the heavy cream. As you do this it will bubble up like crazy. Be sure to use a pan large enough to accommodate the bubbling-this stuff is molten and can cause a very severe burn. Whisk the cream until things settle down and the bubbles subside, then add the butter 2 pats at a time, making sure each addition is thoroughly incorporated before adding more.
• Let the caramel cool slightly, then spoon it into the hole of each cookie and let cool. You'll most likely have leftover caramel sauce, so save it for something yummy-like pouring over vanilla ice cream!

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:

• Heat oven to 325.
• Use 9 inch springform pan.
• In small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and butter with fork until well blended.
• Press firmly against bottom and up sides of pan.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.
• Remove crust from oven and reduce oven temp to 300.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Gradually beat in brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• On low speed, beat in 1/4 cup whipping cream, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the caramel topping.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in chocolate chips.
• Pour over crust in pan.
• Bake 85- 95 minutes or until cheesecake is set 2 inches from center and center is slightly jiggly.
• Turn oven off, open oven door at least 4 inches.
• Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes.
• Remove cheesecake from oven.
• Run knife around edge of pan to loosen.
• Cool 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Cover, refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• TO FINISH:.
• In small bowl, beat 1 cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Top individual servings with whipped cream.
• Drizzle with remaining caramel topping and sprinkle with cashews.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. In a shallow bowl, beat egg white. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl. Dip balls in egg white, then in pecans, patting to help pecans adhere., Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool., In a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add chocolate, egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour; beat until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until well chilled.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in pecans; press pecans gently into dough to secure. Place, 1 inch apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Make indentation in center of each ball with your thumb.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks; cool completely.
• Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after 30 sec. Spoon evenly into centers of cookies; cool until set.