Espresso-Grand Marnier Balls

I must confess that I have always adored these uncooked, boozy little Christmas balls, a sort of mock truffle, made from ground cookie crumbs, nuts, liqueur, and corn syrup. This recipe is the ultimate version after many holiday seasons of experimenting. They require at least a week of aging, tucked away in a tin out of sight and out of mind. Once unveiled they are the perfect sweet to end a gala evening.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 48
• Yields: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 (9 ounce) package  chocolate wafers
• 1  cup hazelnuts, skinned & toasted
• 1 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1  tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1⁄2 cup  grand marnier  orange liqueur
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Pulverize the chocolate wafers and hazelnuts together in a food processor. Add the confectioners’ sugar and process to combine.
2. Dissolve the espresso in the Grand Marnier and add to the chocolate crumbs along with the corn syrup. Process until the mixture forms a moist mass.
3. Break off small pieces of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball in the sugar to coat. Store loosely packed between layers of waxed paper in a cookie tin.
4. Let age 1 week before serving.