Gail's Turtle Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup cake flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup castor sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 additional egg white
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1/4 cup fine dessicated coconut (optional)
1¼ cup pecan nuts finely chopped. I used the processor
Caramel Filling:
14 soft cream caramels ( Wilson’s brand)
3 tbsp cream
Chocolate Drizzle (optional):
150 g milk chocolate melted with 1 tsp butter
Method
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
On high speed in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and coconut until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy.
Roll cookie dough into small balls.
Dip the cookie balls into the egg white and roll in the chopped pecans until outside is coated.
Place the balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
With a teaspoon make a small indentation in each ball.
Bake at 180 ° C for about 12 minutes or until set.
While they are baking prepare the caramel filling.
Melt the caramels and heavy cream in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds until it is fully melted.
Once the cookies are baked, make the indentation again and using a teaspoon fill each indentation with the caramel.
If drizzling with chocolate, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, and scoop into a ziplock bag.
Barely snip the corner and drizzle over the cookies. Yield 24 cookies
Recipe adapted & tweaked from The Recipe Critic
Prepared, tried and tested by: Gail Haselsteiner‎