Italian Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup salted butter, firm but not cold
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 2 large eggs, yolks and whites divided
• 1 cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
• 4 oz melted white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer with the paddle in place, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla bean seeds on medium-high until the mixture turns light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
2. Mix in the egg yolks, and hold the egg whites in a small bowl for later. Turn the mixer to low, add the flour gradually, and continue mixing until the dough comes together; it may look dry at first.
3. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it for 30 minutes.
4. Beat the reserved egg whites with 2 tsp water until foamy. Pour the chopped pistachios into a small bowl.
5. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, scoop 1 tbsp portions, and roll them into balls.
6. Dip each ball into the egg white mixture, turning to coat it all over, then move it straight into the pistachios and roll until the sides and bottom are covered. Leave the top center bare so you can make the thumbprint.
7. Arrange the dough balls on baking sheets lined with Silpat or parchment paper, placing 15 on each sheet. Press your thumb into the middle of every cookie, then spoon a heaping 1/2 tsp of jam into each hollow.
8. Bake for 14 – 16 minutes.
9. After baking, leave the cookies on the baking dish for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
10. Once the cookies are cool, put the melted chocolate into a piping bag or a small Ziploc bag, snip off a tiny corner, and drizzle the chocolate over the tops. Store the cookies in an airtight container.
11. White candy coating may be used instead, or use semi-sweet chocolate chips combined with 1 1/2 tsp shortening. To melt, set the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir occasionally until smooth, or place it in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth.