Salted Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe for Olga's Original Salted Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Paleo Friendly)Ingredients:1. 8 tablespoons grass-fed ghee2. ¼ cup coconut sugar3. 1 large egg yolk4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract5. ½ cup hazelnut meal/flour6. ¾ cup cassava flour7. 1/3 cup Chardonnay grape seed flour8. ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch/flour9. ¼ teaspoon saltFor the Ganache Filling:¼ cup full-fat coconut milk4 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate, roughly choppedFinely chopped toasted hazelnutsFleur de sel or other sea salt, optionalDirections:1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together hazelnut meal, both flours, starch, and salt; set aside.2. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.3. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat ghee and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in yolk and vanilla until combined.4. Gradually add flour mixture to ghee mixture, beating on low speed just until combined.5. Gather dough together. Add another ½ to 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch if dough is sticky.6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in center of each cookie.7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned, rotating sheet at halftime. If indentation puffs up during baking, re-press with bowl of a measuring teaspoon.8. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.9. To make ganache filling, place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring coconut milk to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit 1 minute. Stir until completely smooth. Fill indentation of each cookie with ½ to 1 teaspoon of ganache, sprinkle with finely chopped hazelnuts and fleur de sel. Let sit until set, about 1 hour.Makes about 2 dozen cookies