Sandies By The Sea

1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl; set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to blend. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each. Stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough until firm.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or butter the sheets.

4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls with floured hands. Place on a baking sheet at least one inch apart, and form a cavity in the center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are brown and set.

5. Remove cookies from the oven; cool briefly on the baking sheet. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.

6. Melt caramel candies and cream together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill the center of each cookie with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of caramel. Sprinkle warm centers evenly with sea salt and let sit until firm.

7. Place chocolate in a plastic bag in a bowl, heat on medium at 30-second intervals in the microwave. Massage between each interval until melted. Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag, drizzle chocolate across each cookie. Add additional salt if desired and allow cookies to sit until chocolate has become firm.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Notes:
To toast pecans, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan to cool. Finely chop cooled nuts in a food processor or blender.
Sea salt and fleur de sel are found at specialty food markets.