death by chocolate shortbread thumbprint with a cheesecake and strawberry filling

If you are "down in the doldrums" or just deliriously happy, then this dessert with a cup of steaming English tea would be celebratory. High tea always invokes a feeling of "boy have I arrived!

The recipe:

¾ c Mcarthurs all purpose flour

¼ c unsweetened Dutch cocoa

¼ t salt

2 oz dark chocolate chopped

1 stick unsalted European butter, soft

¼ c organic Florida crystals or any sugar you prefer. Separately in another small bowl 6 teaspoons sugar

1 large egg yolk

1T vanilla (The kind from Santo Domingo is soooooo good. It has a rich deep and dark onyx color and the whole house smells like a vanilla orchard!!!) I buy this from there! Or your own favorite!

Filling:

2 oz cream cheese room temp.

1 package instant pudding and pie filling (cheesecake}

Some dark chocolate and heavy cream

Method:

Preheat oven 350 . about 15 mins baking time.

Sift flour, cocoa, salt. Melt chocolate in a bowl over pan of simmering water, set aside to cool. Mix the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in yolk, vanilla and chocolate; Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate covered for 1 hour. Make ¾ inch balls or whatever size you like, roll around in sugar that is in the small bowl. Space the thumbprints 1inch apart on parchment and make the print with the thumb. You are going to have to use the back of a wooden spoon to define the print again after 10 mins. of baking . Bake 5 mins. more It should be slightly cracked and set.

Filling: Make the instant pudding according to package directions but only use half of the milk that they suggest on the box and then mix in the cream cheese with electric beater. Also for that two tone effect melt some more dark chocolate let cool and then mix together with some heavy whipping cream and whip until stiff. Here is a tip that I learned lay the two mixtures side by side on a piece of plastic wrap and slide into the piping bag and pipe the desired two- tone effect. Also make some with macerated strawberries( cut some strawberries and mix with a tiny bit of organic sugar crystals) and then spoon on top of the cream cheese mousse mixture inside the cavity of the cookie.