Dulce de Leche Chocolate-Chip Thumbprints

Makes about 40 cookies

Prep: 35 minutes

Start to Finish: 3 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon honey

2 ounces semisweet chocolate squares, chopped (not chunky)

2 Tablespoons water

1/4 cup dulche de leche (caramel spread); recipe above

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

2. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and honey; beat until combined well.

3. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Fold in chocolate. Chill dough until firm, about 2 1/2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350 and arrange rack in center. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared sheets about 1 inch apart. Using the end of a wooden spoon, make a dent in center of each cookie. Freeze 15 minutes.

6. Bake sheet of cookies 10 minutes. Remove from oven and redent centers. Fill with generous 1/4 teaspoon dulce de leche and bake until set, about 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining sheet.

7. Transfer cookies on sheets to racks and cool 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. (Can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, in single layers separated by waxed paper, up to 1 week.) Makes about 40 cookies. 

Dulce de Leche

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Scald milk in heavy bottom sauce pan. Add all other ingredients, cook on medium low until it turns into caramel, about 1 hour.

Cinnamon Scones

2 cups white flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400F. Blend together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter. Mix milk, egg and vanilla in another mixing bowl. Add to the flour mixture, and stir until just moist. Shape dough into an 8-inch round loaf. cut into 8 wedges and separate slightly. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 8 scones

chocolate marbled meringues

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 large egg whites- at room temp.
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
½ cup superfine sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 bag mint chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 200°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 25 seconds; stir, and then microwave for another 20 seconds.
2.In a glass bowl beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar, Continue to beat on medium high speed until the mixture forms peaks. Slowly add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, waiting at least 10 seconds between additions, gradually increasing the speed to high. Add the vanilla and beat for another 3 minutes, or until stiff. Sift the cornstarch over the mixture, and gently fold in using a spatula.
3.Transfer the meringue to a bowl. Using a spatula, heavily drizzle parallel lines of the melted chocolate over the surface of the meringue. Using a 1 inch ice cream scoop scrape across the surface of the mixture, crosswise to the drizzled lines, to get a rounded mound of striped meringue.
4.Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave them in until the oven is completely cooled.