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Bourbon Balls

A bowl of chocolate bourbon balls.
Photo by Peter Frank Edwards

Bourbon Balls function as the ultimate easy dessert for Southern cocktail parties, and they put a sweet, slightly boozy finish on any get-together. Think of them as an edible digestif. Crushed vanilla wafers hold all the chocolatey goodness together. Buy an 11-ounce box and remove two dozen wafers to save for another use, like Banana Pudding.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    48, serves 24

Ingredients

2

cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 8 ounces)

1

cup finely chopped toasted pecans

8

ounces bittersweet chocolate, such as Nashville-made Olive & Sinclair 67% cacao chocolate, chopped

1

/2 cup heavy cream

1

/4 cup light corn syrup

1

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1

/3 cup bourbon

Optional coatings:

Finely ground vanilla wafers

Finely chopped pecans or other nuts

Dusting of cocoa powder, cinnamon sugar, or confectioner's sugar

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the crushed wafers and pecans in a large bowl. Place the chopped chocolate in a separate bowl.

    Step 2

    In a small saucepan, combine the cream, corn syrup, and cinnamon, place over medium heat, and bring to just a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and whisk to blend in the cream as the chocolate melts. Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in the bourbon.

    Step 3

    Pour the chocolate mixture over the crumb-nut mixture and stir well to combine. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Form the mixture into balls with a small melon baller (about 2 teaspoons), roll in coatings if desired, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.

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Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon. Recipe from The Southerner's Cookbook, by Editors of Garden & Gun. Copyright © 2015 by Editors of Garden & Gun. Reprinted by permission of Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.