Black Russian Snowballs

This candy has alcohol in it.  If you choose to make it without the alcohol, substitute Pet evaporated milk for the liquids, substitute orange, raspberry, or mint-flavored Milano cookies for the plain ones and call it something else since “Black Russian”  used to describe food and beverages means that it contains Kahlua and Vodka.   The dark chocolate ball is rolled in sugar for the “snow” coating.

  • 2 10-oz bags Pepperidge Farm plain chocolate Milano cookies (20 oz total)
  • 1 bag (10-12 oz) Hershey’s Dark Chocolate chips
  • 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup Kahlua (coffee flavored liqueur)
  • 1/4 cup vodka (no flavor or smell, but delivers a kick)
  • 1 cup white sugar for coating at end

Tools: You need a food processor to turn the walnuts and cookies into a kind of flour; this forms the base of the candy. It also helps to have a double boiler so you can melt the chips without scorching.

Using a large food processor, grind up the cookies and walnut pieces into a light crunchy meal, similar to flour.  Set aside.

In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate chips and then add the Kahlua and vodka and stir for 3-4 minutes.  If you want to burn off some of the effects of the alcohol, you can add the Kahlua and vodka to the chips before they melt.  The candy will still have a light kick, but it might not smell as strong when you open the container.

Combine the melted chocolate and alcohol with the cookie-walnut flour in a large bowl, or add the flour to the chocolate if your double-boiler is extra large.  Don’t try to pour the hot chocolate into the flour while it is still in the food processor; the chocolate hardens too fast when it hits the flour and will burn up the motor of the food processor.

Cover your hands with latex or vinyl gloves to shape the candy.   Roll tablespoons of the candy into balls and then drop into a bowl of white sugar.  Roll the dark chocolate balls around in the sugar for the snow coating and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

Chill the candy overnight and serve the next day.  Can be stored at room temperature unless the room is very warm.  When the candy grows warm, the sugar dissolves into the candy and the whole thing gets very messy to eat.

Store in an airtight container to retain a moist texture.

Makes about 4 dozen snowballs about the size of an unshelled pecan or walnut.