Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Makes about 2 dozen.
Ingredients
FOR WALNUT PRALINE:
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/3 cup sugar
FOR COOKIES:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground walnuts
Directions
Make the walnut praline: Cook walnuts in dry saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In small saucepan, melt sugar over low heat, stirring, until dissolved. Leave it to boil without stirring about 30 seconds or until faintly amber. Pour over walnuts (be careful, hot sugar is dangerous) and let harden, about 30 minutes. Break into chunks and set aside.
Make the cookies: In standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Slowly incorporate flour and walnuts. Divide dough in half. Form two logs about 1-inch in diameter, wrap tightly and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350, place rack in center position. Slice logs into cookies about 1/2-inch thick. Place cookies on sheet lined with silicon baking mat or parchment paper, then place a piece of walnut praline on top of each cookie.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Remove to a rack to cool.
