Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Recipes and photos from Becky Lipp
29 January 2012

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Warning! These are super rich and delicious and are even more scrummy with lashing of cream.

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
2/3 cup of sugar
1 egg, separated plus additional egg white
2 tbspns milk
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 cup of plain flour
1/3 cup of cocoa
1/4 tspn of salt
140g pecans, chopped finely
14 soft caramel lollies (I used Werthers Originals but something softer would be better)
3 tbspns of heavy cream

Beat butter and suger until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla and mix well.  Reduce speed to low and add in sifted flour and cocoa and then add in salt.  Mix until just combined then wrap dough into plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.  Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy and place chopped nuts into a separate bowl.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls, dip into egg whites and then roll in pecans.  Place balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Using a 1/2 teaspon make indentations in the centre of each ball.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Microwave caramels and cream in a bowl, stirring occassionally until smooth, for about 2-3 minutes (depending on lollies used and microwave).  Gently re-press existing indentations into cookies then fill each with the caramel and cream mixture.  You need to work quickly as the caramel mixture sets fast.  Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, that is if you can resist them that long.