These are a favorite of mine. Mainly because I always have cake scraps in my freezer that can be used as the base. The latest came from experimenting with various sizes of cake tins – you can’t just double a cake recipe, baking is a science. It’s balance that causes a cake to rise. Some tins are too big for the quantity of baking powder or baking soda, the amount of eggs you use etc. I never did like science – way too disciplined for me. I’m more of a free spirited Chef I think.

This is Christmas Cookie #8 – Bourbon Chocolate Balls. It’s a rum ball recipe but with bourbon. Really any type of alcohol will do. I was going to enhance the almond flavor of this with some amaretto, but that bottle of bourbon in my liquor cabinet just called out to me. Not too sweet, these are easy to make and even better to eat, really more an adult treat. You will get about 50 small bites – remember it is Christmas and you have at least 12 cookies to devour. I wrapped mine in melted chocolate. I will admit I doubled the batch and made them bigger than usual as I really really like the flavor of them. Call it Chef’s choice. I also like the fact that this isn’t too sweet. The only sweetness I added came from the honey – about 6 tbsps. I didn’t add the powdered sugar – quite honestly, there is something about the taste of it that just puts me off. But if you like, you can add it in yours.

There are countless variations to this, you could chop up some candied ginger and add it to the mix. Nuts – cashews, peanuts, almonds, pecans etc. What about a dollop of jam in the center covered by the chocolate mixture. Oh my, the variations are endless. In any event, this is a cookie the whole family can get together and make. Simple and delicious. As always – enjoy!

2 cups chocolate cake crumbs – from a leftover cake or a store bought pound cake
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted – optional
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 to 4 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup Maker’s Mark bourbon
8 ounces dark chocolate, melted

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment mix together the cake crumbs, cocoa powder, powdered sugar – if using, and nuts
Put the honey and rum in a glass measuring cup and put it in the microwave for 10 seconds – this is alcohol so no more than 10 seconds at a time and no more than 2 of these 10 second bursts please. This will make the honey easier to dissolve with the rum and get distributed better with the cake crumbs. You will know you have enough liquid added when you can pinch the dough and it sticks and forms a shape – if it doesn’t stick together you can add more honey (or bourbon 🙂 )
Using your hands, form the mixture into a ball and place on a parchment lined tray – continue until all the dough is used up
Melt 8 oz of dark chocolate over a double boiler
Drop a few balls at a time into the melted chocolate and using a fork to remove, shake off the excess chocolate, place the chocolate dipped ball back on the parchment lined tray – repeat until all are done
Other items you can coat your bourbon chocolate balls in are powdered sugar, chocolate sprinkles, toasted coconut, finely chopped nuts etc.
Place in the fridge and when the chocolate has hardened, place in mini-muffin tin liners and then in an airtight container in the fridge
So much fun to do and oh so tasty