Southern Classic: Bourbon Balls
What's not to love about bourbon, chocolate, and pecans?
Bourbon Balls
From Rhonda Ruckman, executive pastry chef of Herbsaint, Cochon Butcher, Calcasieu, and Pêche in New Orleans
Makes approximately 50
Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves
2 cups shortbread cookies, crushed into crumbs (about 10 oz.)
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
4 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tbsp. honey
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Ruckman likes Valrhona Equatoriale 55%)
2 tbsp., plus 1 tsp. bourbon (Ruckman likes Evan Williams Single Barrel or Buffalo Trace)
1 vanilla bean
¼ cup sugar
Preparation
Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until fragrant. Set these aside and allow to cool.
Chop one cup of the pecans into small pieces and add to the shortbread crumbs in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small sauce pot, heat together the cream, light corn syrup, and honey. Bring to a boil and pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let stand for one minute and mix to combine. Pour this mixture over the shortbread and pecans, and add the bourbon. Mix thoroughly.
Chill mixture for one hour in the refrigerator.
While mixture chills, slice a vanilla bean in half and scrape out the vanilla inside. Add to sugar and mix together. Chop the remaining pecans finely and add to the vanilla-sugar. Set aside.
Form the chilled crumb mixture into small balls with a teaspoon and roll them through the pecan-vanilla-sugar. Enjoy immediately or store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
