Boozy Bourbon Balls "aka Kentucky Kernels"

A holiday chocolate confection made with bittersweet chocolate, powdered sugar, butter, and nuts soaked in a generous amount of Kentucky bourbon

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Refrigeration Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings balls

Calories 137kcal

Author Amee

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup bourbon it's about a cup, just enough to cover nuts
2 lbs confectioners sugar
1 cup butter softened
20 oz bag bittersweet Ghirardelli premium baking chips (60 % cacao) or you can use a block and chop it into pieces

Place chopped nuts in a mason jar or similiar sealed container and add just enough bourbon to completely cover nuts.
Allow nuts several days to soak (you want all that goodness soaked in for the best flavor)
Drain nuts, saving the bourbon.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until blended.
Add nuts and just enough bourbon to get the best consistency for rolling into balls.
Scoop out mixture with a tablespoon and roll into balls.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, (preferably overnight).
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler until they are almost completely melted, but perfect for dipping (you want to temper the chocolate properly to avoid using paraffin wax)
Dip balls into chocolate, covering all sides, using a skewer and place onto wax paper to cool.
Store balls in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I love using this Wilton Candy Melts pot for dipping chocolate. It keeps chocolate at the perfect temperature. If you temper in a double boiler, follow these directions from Ghirardelli: Grate or chop the desired amount of chocolate. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler. Heat over hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly, until chocolate reaches 110°–115°F. Place the top pan of the double boiler on a towel. Cool chocolate to 95°–100°F. Add the remaining chocolate to the top pan, and stir until melted. The chocolate is now ready to be used for candies, coating, or dipping.
The brand of chocolate does matter here- I only use Ghirardelli because of the high-quality ingredients and smooth and creamy texture when melted.
It's very important to allow the rolled balls to harden overnight in the fridge before dipping them in chocolate. They need to be really cold to keep them from falling off the toothpick when you dip.