Shelly's Recipe

VANILLA-ALMOND BALLS

Category: Candy

1 box vanilla wafers, crushed
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 (7 oz) box almond paste or marzipan
1/4 cup almond liqueur and light corn syrup
Dipping chocolate: Melted 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate, and 4 oz bitter chocolate and sweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Measure out 2 cups crushed crumbs. Add to food processor fitted with a metal blade; cookie crumbs, sugar, almond paste, liqueur and syrup. Process until well mixed.

With small cookie scoop or melon baller, scoop out dough to form 1 inch balls. Shape into balls and place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate 25 minutes or until firm. Gently melt chocolate over a double boiler (with barely simmering water) or in microwave. While chocolate is melting; toast almonds in a skillet over a medium heat until golden. Remove almonds to plate and cool.

Process 1 cup of cooled almonds until crushed and pour into a small bowl. Reserve remaining almonds for garnish. With toothpicks: dip chilled balls in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed almonds; or dip balls 3 quarters of the way up sides, like a buckeye.

Cover toothpick hole with an almond slice, partially dipped in chocolate. Gently remove candies from toothpick to cookie sheet with the back of a fork. Leave candies on cookie sheet until chocolate is firmly set. Store in a tin or air-tight plastic container, between layers of wax paper.