In Charelston, we see bourbon balls only at cocktail parties during the holidays. But they're a swoon-worthy treat anytime — with afternoon tea, with morning coffee, or even as a small dessert at the end of a filling meal. Moreover, they're a breeze to make.
We've noticed that in the past several years, pastry chefs have become hip to chile and chocolate (a common pairing in Mexico). We love the combination, too, and it's what inspired us to add the kicky heat of cayenne pepper to these bourbon balls. The cayenne is optional, of course, but how could you resist?
Makes about thirty 1-inch balls; enough for 12 to 16 people TIME: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1¼ cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons sorghum syrup (see Sourcery, page 447 from the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook), cane syrup, molasses, or honey
10 ounces vanilla wafers (about 60)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, sift 1 cup confectioners' sugar and the cocoa, cayenne, mace, cinnamon, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the bourbon and sorghum syrup until well blended. Stir the bourbon syrup into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture is a dark, glossy paste.
2. In a food processor, pulse the vanilla wafers to fine crumbs, about ten 5-second pulses. Mix the crumbs with the pecans. Stir the pecan and cookie mixture into the cocoa mixture until it becomes consistently doughy and workable, about 2 minutes.
3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls between your palms. Roll each ball in the remaining G cup confectioners' sugar and place on a sheet of waxed paper. Refrigerate in a container with a tight-fitting lid, with a sheet of waxed paper between each layer of bourbon balls, not more than 4 days.
This recipe is from the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook.
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