Chocolate S'more Thumbprints

Who saw the finale of Masterchef All Stars yesterday? I won't post any spoilers, but I was so so excited, that person is my absolute favorite, and my reason to watch the entire season! Technically, I shouldn't even be watching, since I'm approaching the deadline for my dissertation, and am hard at work, not leaving home for days sometimes. My laundry stack consists of only pyjamas and shorts -_-   Fun times, right? Hopefully though, this is my last post while working on the dissertation, I should be done by the next one. Then I'll finally have time to make the rounds of the blogosphere, something I've missed a lot.

So today's post is for this month's Secret Recipe Club, and I got Melissa's Cuisine as my assignment. This was one of my better assignments, I had a ton of options, and would probably have made a few more things if I wasn't so busy, especially the one recipe that's been doing rounds of the blogosphere, and one that I'll probably be making very soon.

But I chose these thumbprints for now, mainly because I was in the mood for something sweet and indulgent. I had to make the marshmallow fluff from scratch since I haven't seen it in stores here, and it was a lot of fun making it too. I'll post about it sometime, after perfecting the recipe.

These cookies are crumbly, chocolate-y but not too much, and the frosting on top gives a fantastic contrast. Plus, they're just so much fun to look at.

Chocolate S'more Thumbprints

From How Sweet Eats via Melissa's Cuisine
Yield : About 2 dozen

For the cookies -
1/2 cup [113 g / 1 stick] butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup [40 g] brown sugar
2 tbsp [44 g] sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup [90 g] flour
1/4 cup [22 g] cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 batch marshmallow frosting [recipe below]
Graham cracker crumbs, of about 2 crackers

Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 375 F [190 C]. Grease and line two cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars, till light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and yolk and beat till well incorporated.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Now add this to the butter mixture, and mix just until incorporated.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips. Put about inch sized balls onto the cookie sheet, and make an indentation in the centres using your thumb.
5. Cook for 8-10 minutes, till the outsides seem firm. Cool on a wire rack till you prepare the frosting.

For the marshmallow frosting -
Recipe from How Sweet Eats

1 cup [226 g / 2 sticks] butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions -

1.  In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter till it's creamy [about 5 minutes].
2.  Add the vanilla and fluffy, and beat for another 3-4 minutes, till light and fluffy. Now add 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup in small additions, till it reaches desired consistency. 
3. Using a tablespoon, or a piping bag if you wish, put a dollop on the cooled cookies. 
4. Sprinkle on the graham cracker crumbs, and serve.