MJM's Bourbon Balls

My holiday favorite--a longtime tradition in the Magnolia family!

1. Place 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans in shallow bowl. Pour Maker's Mark over nuts, immersing completely. Cover and let soak 12 hours to overnight.

2. Mix bourbon-pecan mixture in powdered sugar until it forms a stiff ball. For less bourbon-y flavor, you can whip in a stick of softened butter. Refrigerate to let stiffen slightly.

3. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls.

4. In double-boiler (or a sauce pan placed over a cooker full of boiling water), add about 1/3-1/2 bag of semisweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli) and a small shaving of paraffin wax (no more than 1/4 cup). Heat until just smooth. Dip dough balls into the chocolate mixture. The key is to coat them quickly and make small, frequent batches of melted chocolate.

5. Place bourbon balls on wax paper to cool. Top each with a pecan half, if desired. Results are better if you leave them to cool at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator.

(These are great to package in truffle boxes as small "happies" for anyone you want to give a small Christmas gift!)