Description
Bourbon balls from Joy of Cooking offer a rich Kentucky classic with chocolate-kissed whiskey charm. Creamy pecans and smooth bourbon create irresistible bite-sized indulgence you’ll savor with southern hospitality.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 18 ounces (510 grams) semisweet chocolate
- 1 (16 ounce / 454 grams) package confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter, softened
Flavor and Liquids:
- 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) Kentucky bourbon
- 1 cup (100 grams) chopped nuts
Preparation Material:
- waxed paper
Instructions
- Transfer bourbon-soaked pecans into a sealed glass container, fully submerging the nuts in bourbon. Allow the pecans to marinate for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature, ensuring maximum flavor infusion.
- Combine softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl, blending until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the bourbon-saturated pecans, creating a uniform mixture.
- Shape the bourbon-pecan dough into compact spheres approximately 3/4-inch in diameter (20 millimeters), using gentle pressure to maintain consistent size and shape.
- Carefully transfer the formed balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, arranging them with slight spacing between each sphere. Refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours to solidify and enhance structural integrity.
- Prepare a double boiler by filling the bottom pan with approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) of water. Place high-quality dark chocolate in the top pan, melting slowly over gentle heat while continuously stirring to prevent scorching.
- Dip each chilled bourbon ball completely into the melted chocolate, ensuring thorough and even coating. Delicately place the chocolate-enrobed spheres onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
- Return the chocolate-covered bourbon balls to the refrigerator, allowing them to set and reach optimal serving temperature. Store in a sealed container for up to one week.
Notes
- Nuts Preparation: Carefully slice almonds or pecans into tiny, uniform pieces that blend seamlessly throughout the bourbon ball mixture, creating a consistent texture in every delightful bite.
- Soaking Time: Allow bourbon-soaked nuts to marinate for at least 2-3 hours, letting the alcohol deeply penetrate and enhance the nutty flavors with a rich, complex profile.
- Chilling the Balls: Refrigerate the formed bourbon balls for minimum 30 minutes before chocolate dipping, which helps them maintain their perfect round shape and prevents crumbling during coating.
- Melting Chocolate: Gently melt high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate using indirect heat, stirring constantly to achieve a smooth, glossy finish without burning the delicate chocolate.
- Dipping Technique: Hold each bourbon ball with a small fork or specialized dipping tool, smoothly lowering it into melted chocolate and allowing excess to drip off for an elegant, even chocolate shell.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 30
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg