Hazlenut-Chocolate Fingers (Steven and Jessie)

Ingredients
11/2 cup hazlenuts (filberts)
1 Tbs plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
6 oz milk chocolate chips
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350o. Spread hazlenuts in metal pan and bake 12 to 15 min until toasted, stirring once. Remove skins by wrapping hot nuts in clean cloth and rolling nuts back and forth until the skin rubs off (as much as possible). Cool nuts (do not turn off oven).

In food processor with knife blade attached, combine hazlenuts and 1 Tbs sugar; pulse until hazlenuts are finely ground. In large bowl with mixer at medium-high, beat butter, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar 4 min or until light and creamy. Beat in nut mixture. Reduce speed to low, beat in flour just until blended.

Shape dough by rounded Tbs into 21/2 inch long finger-shaped cookies. Place cookies 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 min until light brown. Allow cookies to cool.

Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper. Microwave chips on high about 1 min or until melted in measuring cup. Dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip into measuring cup. Transfer cookies to wax paper cookie sheets. Place cookies in freezer for 5 min or refrigerator for 10 min until chocolate sets. Store cookies in covered container with wax paper between layers (room temp).


Implements
Metal baking pan (about 13” x 9”)
food processor
mixer
cookie sheets
wax paper

Comments
These are sort of like biscotti (only softer!) and go very well with coffee.