Miss LaLou's Bourbon Balls

Yield: about 4 dozen balls

3 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the wafers, pecans, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder. Mix the ingredients until they are well blended. In a small bowl, combine the corn syrup and bourbon. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Pour the bourbon mixture into the crushed wafer mixture. Blend the ingredients well with a fork. Let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 hours.

Taste the mixture. If you like, you can add up to another 1/4 cup bourbon at this point, making sure the mixture is not too moist to form into balls. If the mixture is too dry to roll easily, add more corn syrup.

Shape tablespoonfuls of the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in confectioners' sugar to coat. Arrange the balls on waxed paper and allow to stand several hours to dry a little. You may eat these right away, but they taste much better if you allow them to age in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 days.

Source: Sweets: A Collection of Soul Food Desserts and Memoirs by Patty Pinner

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