Hazelnut Melting Moments

Photo: flickr user FotoosVanRobin

Ingredients

1 cup Margarine or butter soften

2/3 cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 teaspoon Lemon peel grated

1 Egg yolk

2 1/4 cups All purpose or unbleached

Flour

1 1/2 cups Ground hazelnut (filberts)*

1 cup pkt Semi-sweet chocolate chips 1

1 tablespoon Powdered sugar

Preparation

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.