Tate's Bake Shop Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped
• Peanut Butter Ganache Filling
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter, not natural peanut butter
• Wendy Rusch's Salted Caramel Filling
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Details

Servings 72
Adapted from webmailb.netzero.net

Preparation

Step 1

*+Cookies:+*
Microwave chocolate in a glass bowl at 20 second intervals, stirring at each interval, until melted and smooth. Let stand to cool. Chocolate should still be fluid.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer set on high speed until combined, about 1 minute.

Add peanut butter mix well.

Add in egg yolks and vanilla, mixing well. Mix in chocolate. On low speed, add in flour mixture until all is incorporated.

Beat egg white until foamy and set aside. Place peanuts in a bowl.

Using a 1" (approx) cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls, dip in egg white, then roll in peanuts and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Using your thumb or a wine cork covered in aluminum foil, indent center of each cookie then bake 10 minutes, remove from oven and gently re-dent each cookie. Place cookies back in oven for 10 more minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes then remove to racks.

*+Peanut Butter Ganache Filling:+*

In a small sauce pan, bring cream to a boil.

Add chopped chocolate, let sit one minute; stir until fully melted.

Stir in peanut butter.

Using a teaspoon, fill each cooled cookie

Set aside until centers are firm, but still creamy.

If ganache is too runny, let it sit for 10 minutes or until it firms up a bit. You want it to flow off your spoon, but not out of the cookie.

*+Wendy Rusch's Salted Caramel Filling:+*

In a small saucepan, melt butter, add brown sugar, cream and salt. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a gentle boil, allow to boil gently 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla, stir well and remove from heat to cool. When cool and slightly thickened, fill each cookie.

Store leftover caramel in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in an air tight container. (Great on ice cream, cakes and breads such as banana or pumpkin)

Yield: 6 dozen