Chocolate Caramel Delights

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup hershey’s cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Caramel Filling:
14 unwrapped light caramels
3 tablespoons whipping cream

Chocolate Drizzle:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

In small mixer bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until blended. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt;
blend into butter mixture. Chill dough at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Beat egg white slightly. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Dip each ball into egg whites; roll in pecans to coat. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
Press thumb gently in center of each ball.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. While cookies bake, prepare caramel filling by cooking caramels and whipping cream
over low heat, stirring frequently until mixture is smooth. Immediately after removing cookies from oven, press center of
each cookie again with thumb to make indentation. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon caramel filling in center
of each cookie. Carefully remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave and stir in 30 second bursts until
mixture is smooth and blended. Place wax paper under racks with cookies and drizzle chocolate mixture over the tops of cookies.

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