Bourbon Balls

Happy Valentine's Day to you!  How am I celebrating?  Hubby and I went out Saturday of last week and celebrated.  No gifts this year.  Well, that was our intent.  Then he reminded me that I didn't make bourbon balls for Christmas and I did have the mixture in the pantry!  The funny thing is, I don't normally make a small batch.  The original recipe makes about 100!  So, I did it!  I measured out the ingredients to my bourbon balls!  I think I have it down to a much smaller amount.  You get to be my guinea pigs!

I've been promising for a while that I'd post this and I do my best to keep my promises!

Bourbon Balls...mmmm

So, please let me start by saying way in advance, that I don't make mine like most recipes I've read.  They will tell you to soak the pecans in bourbon overnight.  Uhm, no.  I soak mine much longer, but that flavor will really be up to you, so soak away!

To make the pecan base, do the following:

Take one cup chopped pecans and place in a non-stick skillet on low heat and slowly toast.  You can do this in the oven, too.  Be careful not to burn them! Once they're toasted, place them in a glass container with a lid and pour 1 cup bourbon over them while they're still warm.  The heat has opened the skin up on the pecan and this allows the bourbon to soak into it.

Bourbon balls....I'm making about 100 here!

What kind of bourbon(s)?  That's up to you.  I use a blend and no, I won't disclose it.  Sorry.  My signature flavor took a while to find and I'm a little protective of it. That being said, place the lid on them and place them in a dry, cool place.  I have to hide mine from hubby sometimes.  He thinks they're great snacks.

This makes me want to do a tongue twister about butter.  Do you know the one I mean?

When they're ready to your preference, you'll need the following:

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
1 lb (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
Bourbon/pecan mixture (should use about 3/4 of it)
3/4 cup whole pecans
18 oz. chocolate chips or melting wafers
Wax paper

Again, I use chocolate chips and I blend mine between semi-sweet, bittersweet and milk chocolate, using the last one sparingly.  I like a dark, dark chocolate, but not quite sugar-free.

Now this is where I'm probably going to really stray from the other recipes out there.  Beat your butter with an electric mixer and add your powdered sugar. Very slowly add your bourbon/pecan mixture.  If it's too wet, add a little more powdered sugar.  I usually add the pecans only first and the liquid from the soaking mixture as a last resort because trust me, these babies will stand you on your head!

Uhm, not kid safe. 

The caption above?  Please be mindful when sharing this lovely concoction!  A few years ago I sold these at a craft fair and I labeled them "for adults only" but folks were sending their kids to get them for them and they were getting eaten before reaching mom and dad.  There were some very happy kids there!  So, you've been warned.

Your mixture should be like a thick frosting.  Too thick to spread or pipe.  Taste it if you must.  A story for another time...I've never tasted my own bourbon balls!  No lie!  Hubby taste tests mine for me.

Just perfect!

Place plastic wrap over this beautiful mixture and put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  You want the butter to have time to firm up.  When you remove it, get ready to work quickly.  Using a small scoop (mine's .375 oz.), fill scoop full and release into a second bowl. Once you've gone through the mixture, place it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

♪...I'm in heaven...♫

While the bourbon ball mixture is firming in the fridge, melt your chocolate. Place a pan of water on the stove and bring to a simmer.  Lower the heat.  (Here's what I recommend doing versus what I do!  Only melt your chocolate about 1/3 at a time.  That way when the inevitable happens and you get the mixture in it, you don't have to throw out all of the chocolate.  Do I do this?  Not always.  Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.)  In a glass or metal bowl that's bigger than the pan, place your chocolate chips and set it on top of the pan of water.  DO NOT allow the water to boil or steam as it can burn your chocolate and you get to start over.  Not that I've ever done this!

Let it melt very slowly.  Once it's melted, remove mixture from fridge and working very quickly drop a ball into the chocolate and using a fork, dip them as quickly as possible and without getting the mixture into the chocolate more than necessary as it can cause it to seize!

As soon as they're covered, remove them from the chocolate and on to a piece of wax paper and place a whole pecan on top of it.

Depending on how well you followed directions and/or how much of the filling you've eaten, you should have about 32 bourbon balls when it's all said and done. Is it worth the effort?  The recipients of these lovely confections seem to think so!  Don't be surprised when you suddenly have more friends than you previously thought!