Chocolate Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies

Preheat oven to 350
Chocolate Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies
(Martha Stewart)
2 sticks of butter
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
Topping
6 T butter, melted
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tsp corn syrup

Cream together butter, sugar, salt and vanilla (about 2 min.) Beat in flour, beginning with low speed and gradually increase to medium until dough is well combined.

Scoop out dough and roll into balls, spacing at least 1 in. apart. Bake for 10 min., take the pan out of the oven and press and indintation in the center of the cookie with your thumb (I use the back of a whisk handle). Return to oven, and bake for another 10 min. Press the center of the cookies one last time and cool completely on a rack.

The recipe calls for melting the choclate over a double boiler, but I melt the butter in a pan, take it off the heat and mix in the chocolate and corn syrup (or dump the metled butter over the chocolate in a bowl.) The residual heat from the butter is enough to melt the chocolate, if it is chopped fine enough. Be careful  to stir constantly, as the heat from the pan can scorch the chocolate. Place the melted chocolate into a ziplock back and fill cookies.

I really love these cookies and find myself making them often, as they are so simple to make. I tried placing a Rollo candy on the cookie as soon as they come out of the oven - the heat melts them down nicely! (you can smooth out the tops of the candies with a spoon abit so they're not so ridgid looking.  :-)  Enjoy!