Hazelnut Melting Moments

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Hazelnut Melting Moments
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 1 servings

1 c Margarine or butter; soften
2/3 c Sugar
2 ts Vanilla
1 ts Lemon peel; grated
1 Egg yolk
2 1/4 c All purpose or unbleached
Flour
1 1/2 c Ground hazelnut (filberts)*
1 pk Semi-sweet chocolate chips
--- 1 cup
1 tb Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325~. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugar until light
and fluffy. Add vanilla, lemon peel and egg yolks; blend well. Lightly
spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in four and hazelnuts; mix
well. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie
sheet. With thumb, make an indention in the center of each cookie.
Bake at 325~F for 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden around edges.
In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring until
smooth. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate into center of each cookie**.
Remove from cookie sheet; light dust with powdered sugar.

Tips: *If desired, hazelnuts can be toasted before they're ground. To
toast hazelnuts, spread on cookie sheet; bake at 350~F. for 8 to 10 minutes
or until skins crack, stirring occasionally. If desired, remove skin. ** If
chocolate mixture begins to thickens, warm over low heat.
Note: Hazelnuts or filberts are sweet, rich, grape-size nuts. These
nuts have a bitter brown skin that is best removed by heating them at
350~F. for 8 to 10 minutes until the skin begins to crack and flake. Place
a handful of warm nuts between layer of a clean dish towel and rub
vigorously to remove the skin. Hazelnut are usually package whole. They are
used whole, chopped or ground in all manner of sweets and for texture and
flavor in some main dishes and salad.

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