Chocolate and Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

I love this combination of flavours and as it’s Christmas, I’ve topped a few of the cookies with finely chopped peppermint candy sticks.

125 grams butter at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 x #7 egg yolk (large)
1 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons cocoa
pinch sea salt

Filling
1 x #7 egg white (large)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup icing sugar
½ - ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract 

Baking tray, greased and lined.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and pale. Beat in the egg yolk.

Combine the flour, cocoa and salt. Add to the butter and mix until everything is well combined. 

Roll teaspoons into balls and place on baking tray. Gently make an indentation in the centre of each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon. 

Chill for 30 minutes.

Bake for about 12 minutes until they look a little dry on the outside and are firm. They may crack a little. Remove from the oven and gently press in the centres again. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Filling: Beat the egg white and lemon juice until foamy. Add the icing sugar and the desired amount of peppermint and continue to beat until thick and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe the filling into the centre of each cookie. Top with chopped candy cane if using. Makes approx 28 cookies.