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1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl; set aside.
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2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to blend. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each. Stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough until firm.
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3. Preheat oven to 350u00b0F (175u00b0C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or butter the sheets.
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4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls with floured hands. Place on a baking sheet at least one inch apart, and form a cavity in the center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are brown and set.
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5. Remove cookies from the oven; cool briefly on the baking sheet. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper.
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6. Melt caramel candies and cream together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill the center of each cookie with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of caramel. Sprinkle warm centers evenly with sea salt and let sit until firm.
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7. Place chocolate in a plastic bag in a bowl, heat on medium at 30-second intervals in the microwave. Massage between each interval until melted. Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag, drizzle chocolate across each cookie. Add additional salt if desired and allow cookies to sit until chocolate has become firm.
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Notes:
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To toast pecans, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350u00b0F (175u00b0C) for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan to cool. Finely chop cooled nuts in a food processor or blender.
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Sea salt and fleur de sel are found at specialty food markets.
