2Bit of Yum: Bourbon Balls for Mama Jill

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Bourbon Balls for Mama Jill

So, if you live in Kentucky, it is a MUST that you have tasted Bourbon Balls! What better way to taste then to make them yourself? You can put them on top of a cheesecake as my mom requested for her birthday. Or... my husband requests a giant Bourbon Ball to be his birthday cake in February... We have some obsessed ppl here. Good reason. They are delicious!

2Bit wanted to get these absolutely perfect since it is for a Birthday! So in my research, some major distinctions were discovered from quite the snobby, bourbon ball purists. 2Bit found that some Kentuckians are quite particular about Kentucky Bourbon Balls being made ONLY one certain way. Well, some things 2Bit loves to be pure about, but not about FAT. The "one and only way " to make Kentucky Bourbon Balls happens to add pure fat to 2Bit's booty. So, I decided to try both the common recipes and see if there was any remarkable difference between the renowned, traditional recipe and the less fattening one. (But I halved both recipes)They are both featured on the cheesecake. For the record, our handsome guinea pig, Aj, actually liked the less fattening one.

Less Fattening and JUST as Delish:
1 c. chopped pecans
2 c. crushed Vanilla wafers
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder( 2Bit omitted from this recipe)
1/2 c. bourbon
2 tbsp. alaga syrup (or corn syrup)
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Adapted from http://southernfood.about.com/od/bourbonballs/r/bl81212f.htm)

-Mix the powdered sugar, ground wafers, chopped nuts.

Add the alaga syrup and bourbon. Mix well. Add more bourbon if necessary...(always necessary).. jk

Kentucky Bourbon Ball recipe:
1 cup chopped nuts
5 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
18 oz semisweet chocolate
(adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/kentucky-bourbon-balls/Detail.aspx)

-Mix the butter and sugar and chopped nuts. The recipe suggests soaking the chopped nuts in bourbon overnight before adding them to the mix. 2Bit did not, however.

Mix well and if need be, add more bourbon. If you add too much, just add more powdered sugar.

Perfect consistency. Put the bowl in the fridge so it will firm up.

-Once the inside has cooled enough to mold without disintegrating, form in 3/4" balls and you can refrigerate for a couple more hours so they are REALLY firm for dipping. 2Bit is too impatient to wait for a second refrigerating. But they were still plenty cold to dip.

-Melt the chocolate chips however you want, whether it's in the microwave or in the double boiler on the stove. Regardless of what recipe you choose for the inside of the bourbon ball, the outsides is pretty standard. Stab the balls with a small knife and dip in the chocolate.

-Once you have dipped the bourbon balls in the chocolate, use the fork slot to pull it off of the knife, onto the wax paper.

-Set each ball on wax paper and before it has cooled, gently press the pecan on top.

-In the white bowl is the less fattening version. :) It's brown b/c of the vanilla wafers and more nuts.

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Natural Moisturizer Tip

Coconut oil is incredible for your skin. And it's even great to cook/bake with as well as healthier. It is usually about $10, but totally worth it. It's all natural and free of any chemicals or alcohol that are present in most lotions and skin moisturizers. You can get it at the health food store or sometimes in the healthy section of Kroger. Make sure it's unrefined. It will melt at room temperature. If it's cool in your house it will be solid, so just hold a chunk of it in your hands and it will quickly melt. Then slather over your whole body. It's amazing.

De-Sasquashing Tip of the Day

Let's all be honest. As women, we gots to deal with facial hair growing above the lip. Men, don't gag.. we can't help it.. take it up with God. Somehow He thought we would want to share that attribute with men. Well, we don't!!! So, what's 2Bit's tip to de-sasquash? It's called, Nad's! In the past, naive 2Bit giggled at the silly info-mercials of Nad's, certain she would never need such a thing. Well, joke's on 2Bit. 2Bit has used quite a few products, and this is the most gentle (meaning it does not rip your skin off, leaving a scab mustache); and it's pretty powerful. Gentle and powerful, working together as one!! That's all 2Bit wants in life! Get Nad's strips at Target for 4 dolla!!

Baking Powder Substitute.

All you bakers out there know that many recipes call for baking powder. I've been unable to find the "aluminum free" baking powder at Kroger. Why, "aluminum free" you say?? Besides the fact that "aluminum free" is less bitter than the baking powder with aluminum, my parents learned in nutrition classes at the Cancer Treatment Center of America that you should always try to avoid cooking with any aluminum. I know you can get it at the health food store, and when I find it at the normal grocery, I will let you know.

Until then, here is the Baking Powder Substitute.

For each 1 tsp baking powder called for in a recipe, use:

1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 c buttermik, sour cream or yogurt (to replace 1/2 c liquid called for in recipe).

Pop Your Corn

Did you know a much healthier, less fattening and overall more delicIous way to make popcorn is right at your very fingertips? All you need is a pot or dutch oven, water or oil and popcorn kernels. 1. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil to your pot or water even works! 2. Turn your burner on high heat until your pot is hot. 3. Pour your kernels in to where it's an even layer on the bottom of your pan. 4. Cover and let em start to pop. 5. Shake pot up as much as necessary so that the kernels don't stick and burn. 6. Lower temp to med-low 7. Devour the delicious popcorn

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Bourbon Balls for Mama Jill

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