Slovenian Peach Cookies

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 ¾ cups flour

1 ½ tsps baking powder

½ cup milk

FILLING

¼ cup chopped milk chocolate

½ cup apricot jam

1 cup ground walnuts or pecans

1 cup ground cookie filling

2 tsps rum

1 cup sugar

DECORATION

½ cup water (divided)

2 drops red food colouring

4 drops yellow food colouring

1 cup extra-fine sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar until smooth and creamy.  Beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.  Mix flour and baking powder and milk into the creamed mixture and knead until well blended.  Roll the dough in about 1 to 1 ½ inch balls and baked for about 15 to 20 mins until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Once the cookies are completely cooled with a very sharp knife carve a hole into the bottom of each cookie.  You can double the dough recipe as these cookies are quite delicate and break easily.  Save your crumbs and process them into a fine crumble and save for the filling.  (These crumbs are perfect for rum balls!)

FILLING

In a double boiler, melt chocolate until completely melted then add the balance of the ingredients and mix well.  Now you’re ready to start filling your cookies.  I slightly over fill them so the two shells stay together.  Press gently together using your finger to remove the excess filling. 

DECORATING

Add yellow and red food colouring to separate bowls with water and mix well, you can adjust your colours if you like more vibrant colour.  Quickly dip each peach into each colour and roll into the sugar.