Chocolate Bourbon Balls

These are just as delicious as chocolate truffles, but much easier to make. From Simple Food by Jill Dupleix. Cook time is freezing time.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 10 mins
• Yields: 50 balls

Ingredients

• 160  g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 125  ml  whipping cream
• 250  g  italian sponge cake fingers or 250  g ladyfingers
• 100  g icing sugar
• 3  tablespoons cocoa powder
• 100  g  ground almonds
• 100  g  finely chopped walnuts
• 3  tablespoons Bourbon or 3  tablespoons  whiskey
• 180  g butter, melted
•  cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1. Heat cream in a saucepan, stirring till it bubbles.
2. Remove from heat, add chocolate, stir till it melts.
3. Whiz the sponge fingers in a food processor, or crush with a rolling pin to fine crumbs.
4. Sift icing sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
5. Mix in the crumbs, ground almonds, and chopped walnuts.
6. Add bourbon, chocolate cream and butter, mix well.
7. Take a walnut size pinch of the mixture and roll into a ball in your hands.
8. NOTE: if it is too wet, add a little more cocoa powder.
9. If it is a little too dry, add a dash of bourbon.
10. Place on greaseproof paper on a tray and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or till firm.
11. Roll each chocolate bourbon ball in cocoa powder to serve.
12. Note2: To make it extra special, decorate each with edible gold leaf.