| 1 | Makes about 5 dozen 1 ?inch cookies |
| 2 | equipment: ungreased cookie sheets, 1 ?inch cookie scoop, or a measuring teaspoon. |
| 3 | place two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. |
| 4 | Preheat oven to 375 °F. |
| 5 | soften the butter. |
| 6 | In a small bowl, sift together he flour, baking soda, and salt. |
| 7 | Whisk to combine well. |
| 8 | Set aside. |
| 9 | In a mixing bowl, beat the sugars until well mixed. |
| 10 | Add the butter and peanut butter and beat for several minutes, until very smooth and creamy. |
| 11 | Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. |
| 12 | At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated. |
| 13 | scrape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight (this keeps the dough from cracking when shaped). |
| 14 | measure the dough into a 1 ?inch cookie scoop or 2 level teaspoons and roll it between the palms of your hands to shape 1-inch balls. |
| 15 | Place the balls 1 ?inches apart on the cookie sheets. |
| 16 | As soon as you roll each ball, use your index finger or the handle of a wooden spoon to make a depression going down almost to the cookie sheet in the center of each ball. |
| 17 | bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and set. |
| 18 | For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period. |
| 19 | cool the cookies on the sheets for a few minutes or until firm enough to lift. |
| 20 | Use a small, angled metal spatula or pancake turner to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. |
| 21 | If necessary, while the cookies are still hot, use the greased handle of a wooden spoon to deepen the depressions. |
| 22 | Fill the centers with cherry preserves or milk chocolate topping. |
| 23 | cherry preserves topping: ** 1 ?(12-ounce) jars cherry preserves |
| 24 | in a microwave oven or a saucepan, heat the preserves until boiling. |
| 25 | Strain the jelly into a small heavy saucepan. |
| 26 | Place the cherries remaining in the strainer in the centers of the cookies. |
| 27 | If some are crushed, piece them together. |
| 28 | on medium heat, boil the jelly for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until, when it is dropped from the stirring spoon, the last drops gather to form one large sticky drop that hangs from the spoon. |
| 29 | The jelly will be reduced to about ?cup. |
| 30 | Allow the jelly to cool about 1 minutes or until the bubbling stops. |
| 31 | Spoon heaping ?to ?teaspoons over each cherry. |
| 32 | milk chocolate topping: ** 2 (3-ounce) bars milk chocolate 2 (3-ounce) bars bittersweet chocolate 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature |
| 33 | break the chocolate into squares and place them in the top of a double boiler. |
| 34 | Set it over hot but not simmering water. |
| 35 | The water must not touch the bottom of the double-boiler insert. |
| 36 | Stir until the chocolate begins to melt. |
| 37 | Return the pan to low heat if the water cools, but be careful that the water does not get too hot. |
| 38 | stir the chocolate until smooth, and cool it until it is no longer warm to the touch.( the chocolate may be melted in a microwave oven if stirred every 15 seconds. |
| 39 | Remove it before it is fully melted and stir, using residual heat to complete melting). |
| 40 | Whisk in the softened butter. |
| 41 | The mixture will immediately thicken. |
| 42 | Do not overwhisk. |
| 43 | Use a recloseable quart-size freezer bag with one corner cut off to pipe the chocolate into the centers of the cookies or use a small metal spatula to spread on a dollop. |
| 44 | You can also use a copler with a # 22 star decorating tube to pipe the chocolate decoratively into the centers. |
| 45 | Allow the chocolate to set until firm. |
| 46 | store: in an airtight container keeps: 1 month |
| 47 | tip: using superfine sugar will result in fewer cracks in the cookie"s surface. |
| 48 | It can be prepared easily in a food processor by processing granulated sugar for a few minutes or until it is as fine as sand. |
