Viennese Hazelnut Butter Thins

Description
36 cookies. 2 hours preparation.

Ingredients

 * 1 cup hazelnuts
 * 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
 * ¼ teaspoon salt
 * 1¼ cups powdered sugar
 * 1 cup butter, softened
 * 1 egg
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla
 * 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

 * 1) Preheat oven to 350 °F.
 * 2) To remove skins from hazelnuts, spread in single layer on baking sheet.
 * 3) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until toasted and skins begin to flake off; let cool slightly.
 * 4) Wrap hazelnuts in heavy kitchen towel; rub against towel to remove as much of the skins as possible.
 * 5) Place hazelnuts in food processor.
 * 6) Process using on/off pulsing action until hazelnuts are ground but not pasty.
 * 7) Combine flour and salt in small bowl.
 * 8) Beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
 * 9) Beat in egg and vanilla gradually add flour mixture * beat in ground hazelnuts at low speed until well blended.
 * 10) Place dough on sheet of waxed paper.
 * 11) Using waxed paper to hold dough, roll back and forth to form log 12 inches long and 2½ inches wide.
 * 12) Wrap log in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
 * 13) Preheat oven to 350 °F cut dough into ¼-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased cookie sheets.
 * 14) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.
 * 15) Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 1 minute.
 * 16) Remove cookies to wire racks-cool completely.
 * 17) Place chocolate chips in 2-cup glass measure.
 * 18) Microwave at high 1 to 1½ minutes or until melted, stirring after 1 minute and at 30-second intervals after first minute.
 * 19) Dip cookies into chocolate coating about ½ of each cookie.
 * 20) Transfer cookies to waxed paper; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.