Dad’s Special”tea” Cakes

This year I was a little stumped on what to give my dad as a Christmas gift.  I know he doesn't really like to get “things.”  He doesn't like to get gifts that he will not use, or more particularly eat.  His favorite gift is chocolate.  On one hand, I knew chocolates would be a good gift, on the other everyone else got him boxes of chocolates.  So I decided to go another route.  Dad and I are the two tea fans in the house, he likes getting things that we've made, and he loves chocolate (which I cannot stress enough).  So I put together a little package with a mug, two types of teas, two Toblerones, and a batch of cookies I wanted to try to make.  They are called Russian Teacakes, but thanks to the Betty Crocker Cookbook I took a tip and put a treat in the middle of the cookies, which is where the “special” comes into the name.

Russian Teacakes

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup finely chopped nuts

½ tsp salt

Bag of caramel-filled chocolates

Powdered sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat together ½ cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.

Once mixed add nuts, salt, and flour.  Mix until well incorporated.

The texture will be similar to a pie crust, slightly dry.

Flatten a spoonful of dough in your hand and place caramel-filled chocolate in the center.

Form dough into ball around the candy.

Bake in oven until firm, they should not be browned.

Coat in powdered sugar immediately, then again after cooled.