SPECIAL COOKIE EQUIPMENT

• food processor, baking trays, parchment paper wooden spoon, or an oatmeal stirrer, digital scale, food safe squeeze bottles, #40 scoop

COOKIE MISE EN PLACE

• Pulse the nuts in a food processor

• Pulse until most are finely ground and the largest pieces are about 1/4 inch. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

• Wipe out the food processor and add the sugar and salt. Wiz it until it is fine and powdery. Leave in the food processor.
• Measure the butter in a separate bowl and set aside to soften.
• Separate the egg yolk (if using) and add the vanilla, and mix until incorporated.

ASSEMBLING THE COOKIE

• In the food processor with the sugar, add the butter, vanilla and egg yolk (if using), and pulse until the mixture is smooth.

• Add the flour and pulse until the dough starts to clump together.

• Add the nuts and pulse just until combined. Transfer the dough to a bowl or dump it on a clean counter and knead it by hand briefly to make sure it is evenly mixed.

PREPARE TO BAKE

• Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (0.5 ounce each) and place them slightly apart on a plate or tray big enough to hold all the balls yet small enough to fit in your refrigerator.

• Press the handle of a wooden spoon dipped in flour (or your finger) into each ball to form a depression.

NOTES

• The cookies will puff while baking, so the depression you make will be less deep after they are baked. Judge accordingly.
• Cover and chill the cookies for at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.

BAKE THE COOKIES

• Preheat the oven to 325 F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
• Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and place them 1 inch apart on the lined or ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the cookies are lightly coloured on top and light golden brown on the bottom.
• Rotate the pans halfway through baking to ensure an even colour.
• Cool cookies completely.

FILLING THE COOKIES

• While the cookies are cooling, combine the Muscovado sugar with the cream and salt in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
• Boil gently for about 2 minutes without stirring. This will allow the sugar to be firm when cooled.

• Cool the sauce briefly, and pour into the squeeze tube, the while warm, squeeze the sugar filling into the depression.
• If you don’t have a squeeze tube, spoon a little filling into the depression in each cookie.

• Lay a sprig of fresh rosemary on the sugar filling.

• Allow the filling to cool completely.
• May be stored in an airtight container for at least a week.