Biscuits have never really been my forte, but when I was asked to produce a recipe for Yorkshire Sea Salt, all I could think about was salted caramel biscuits. So I’m really pleased to say that if I can make today’s recipe, then you definitely can too!
I love the idea of thumbprint cookies – that you get a little well of deliciousness amongst the crunch of the biscuit. It seemed like the perfect way to get a hit of salted caramel without it being too in your face! I researched a whole bunch of thumbprint cookie recipes and put together this sea salted caramel and dark chocolate thumbprint cookie recipe for you to try at home!
Don’t forget to check out my other baking recipes too.
To give the caramel in this recipe a bit of an edge, I used Yorkshire Sea Salt. And why is that so special? Well, the pure sea salt flakes are hand harvested from the North Yorkshire coast, and small batch processed using innovative, modern methods to create the purest, nutrient rich sea salt. The mineral structure of the salt is completely unique to the coastline, thanks to the nutrient rich sea grass meadows and ancient kelp forests, giving it a real edge. It’s definitely something worth having in your pantry, whether you love salted caramel or want to try taking your savoury dishes to the next level.
And you’ll be pleased to know that the caramel is really simple to make. You won’t need to use a sugar thermometer, just your eyes and patience. It’s pretty quick to pull together, but you will need to stay with the pan to make sure it doesn’t burn. It’s just a simple sugar, butter, cream, salt and water recipe, but the results are fantastic. Think a slightly runny caramel sauce that sets firm, but soft to the bite.
What goes perfectly with salted caramel? Dark chocolate. I love the salty-sweetness of the caramel paired up with the slightly bitter tang of the dark chocolate. It truly is a match made in heaven! You can either do a little drizzle like I did or dip half in for a fun effect. It’s up to your creative eye. You could even be really fancy and do a little pattern or design.
Once you’ve made these, you’ll want to make them again and again. They’re incredibly moreish and the whole family will love them. Find the recipe below to give them a whirl!
Sea Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Course: DessertDifficulty: Medium12
servings1
hour12
minutesCombine sweet and salty with this delicious recipe for sea salted caramel and dark chocolate thumbprint shortbread cookies. Eating one just isn’t enough!
Ingredients
- For the shortbread biscuits
250g plain flour
70g icing sugar (substitute 3g for Vanilla Guys Vanilla Dust – optional)
8g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extra
150g unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
- For the caramel
100g granulated sugar
45g unsalted butter
60ml double cream
2 teaspoons Yorkshire Sea Salt
3 tbsp water
- For the topping
50g dark chocolate
Directions
- To make the shortbread, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt into the bowl, then mix together. Cut 150g of the butter into cubes, then rub into the flour mixture to form a sandy texture. Add in the egg yolks and mix together, then knead into a dough.
- Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Split your dough into 12 equal portions and roll into balls with your hands. Place them on the baking trays, leaving at least 10cm between each one. Use your thumb or something clean with around a 3-4cm cylindrical base (I used a shot glass) to press the biscuits down and create a well. Make sure you don’t press all the way through to the tray. Once all have been pressed, place the baking trays in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas mark 6. After your biscuit dough has been in the fridge for an hour, place the trays in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the biscuits are a light golden colour. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool fully on the trays.
- While your biscuits are cooling, make your salted caramel. Heat the granulated sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Take care not to burn the sugar, but allow it to melt to an amber-coloured liquid.
- Once the sugar has melted, stir in 45g of unsalted butter until melted and combined. The caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added, so take care not to burn yourself. If the butter starts to separate or clump, remove the pan from the heat and whisk to combine it again.
- Stir constantly whilst you slowly pour in the double cream. The mixture may bubble up once again, but stir to combine. After it has all been stirred together, allow the pan to sit and boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat, and add 2 teaspoons of Yorkshire Sea Salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Be sure to stir it well to make sure everything is combined.
- Let your caramel cool slightly, then use a tablespoon to carefully pour it into your biscuit wells. The caramel should still be slightly runny at this point, but as it cools fully in the biscuit, it will set to be firm, but soft to the bite.
- Melt the dark chocolate in 20 second increments in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, use a spoon or piping bag to drizzle chocolate over each biscuit.
- (Optional) Crush some of the Yorkshire Sea Salt in a small bowl to make little flakes, then sprinkle them on top of each biscuit for the final decoration.
Notes
- The sea salted caramel can be made ahead, frozen and stored for up to 3 months. Alternatively, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month. Be sure to warm it up for a few seconds before using.
- If these cookies last long enough, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
If you give these thumbprint cookies a go, make sure you let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram with @thenorthernist. They’re definitely worth a try! Or make yourself some of the Yorkshire Sea Salt caramel to use in future recipes.
The Yorkshire Sea Salt was gifted to me in return for a recipe. All opinions are my own.