Caramel Tassies December 28, 2011

One of mike’s favorite cookie is a caramel tassie.  Every year he reminds me how good the tassies were that my Aunt Barb made… Hi Aunt Barb! Anyways, I don’t know why I was so intimidated by them – because they were not as hard to make as I thought!  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a recipe for them this year, and I knew I had to make them!

• 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 14-ounce package caramels
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coffee liqueur or brewed coffee
• Frosting (recipe follows)

Beat butter and cream cheese together until well blended; stir in flour. Form dough into a ball; chill 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pieces of dough into 1/2-inch balls; press balls into ungreased mini-muffin pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

Combine caramels and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat; stir in liqueur or coffee. Spoon filling into shells. Cool completely before piping frosting onto caramel filling.

Makes about 2 dozen.

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk, chilled
• 1/2 teaspoon coffee liqueur or brewed coffee

Blend shortening and sugar until fluffy; add evaporated milk and liqueur or coffee. Beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 7 to 10 minutes until fluffy.

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