Recipe: Bourbon balls

Bourbon balls

Submited by Kate Wheeler of Pasadena

“Something about the flavor of liquor in desserts just screams “holiday� to me. Maybe it’s a nod to fruitcake and plum pudding, or maybe it’s just a way to get through all the family gatherings of the holidays.�

Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling time for the dough

Servings: About 4 dozen bourbon balls

Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try any of the L.A. Times Test Kitchen recipes from this week’s Food section, please share it with us: Click here to upload pictures of the finished dish.

10 ounces Nilla wafers or graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (about 2 ½ cups crumbs)

1 cup finely ground pecan halves

1/2 cup powdered sugar

6 ounces chocolate chips

1/2 cup bourbon

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Granulated sugar, for dusting

1. In a large bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs, ground pecans and powdered sugar.

2. In a microwaveable bowl, microwave the chocolate until it’s melted (I usually do it for 30 seconds, then in 10-second intervals, stirring between each interval, and stop before they’re totally melted because they’ll melt as you stir). Stir in bourbon and corn syrup to combine (the chocolate will seize a bit and the bourbon won’t incorporate well. Just do the best you can).

3. Add the chocolate mixture to the crumbs mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

4. Pour some granulated sugar into a dish. Form the chocolate mixture into small balls the size of grapes, and roll each ball in the sugar.

Each of 4 dozen cookies: 73 calories; 1 gram protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 6 grams sugar; 20 mg sodium.