Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

1/2 c Hazelnuts

1 1/2 c Flour

1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa

1/2 ts Salt

1/2 c Plus 2 tb unsalted butter

= room temp 7 tb Sugar

1 Egg

1 Egg yolk

1/2 ts Vanilla

1/3 c Raspberry preserves

1 ts Powdered sugar

Recipe by: Seattle Times 1. Put the nuts in a small baking pan and toast in a preheated

350-degree oven about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the skins start to crack.

Cool slightly and put into a kitchen towel; rub together to remove the skins. Cool completely. Process in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside. 2. Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt; set aside. With an electric

mixer cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla; mix to blend. Slowly add the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating well after each addition. Add the nuts, mixing until well blended. 3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on 2 ungreased baking

sheets. Make an indentation with your thumb in the center of each cookie. Spoon a little of the raspberry preserves into the indentations. (It is easiest to use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon.) 4. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Just before

serving, sift the powdered sugar lightly over the cookies. NOTES : The cookies can be frozen without the powdered sugar. Defrost and dust with the sugar just before serving. -----