Chocolate Christmas Balls (GF, V)

Ingredients:

• 6 oz baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup + 2 – 3 T white sugar
• 3 T maple syrup
• 1/3 cup water/rum/coffee
• 7 1/4 oz vanila wafers
• 1 cup walnuts/pecans/shredded coconut

Special tools:

• Double boiler or pot with heat safe bowl
• Food processor or plastic bag w/ rolling pin or heavy pan

Steps:

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or pot with a heat safe bowl.
2. Once melted, stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Continue to stir over double boiler until sugar is melted and combined. The chocolate may look seized at this point, but that is not a problem.
3. Stir in water/rum and maple syrup into chocolate mixture. Cook down for 1 – 2 minutes.
4. In a food processor or plastic bag, crush up vanilla wafers. If using a plastic bag, place in bag and seal tightly and hit with a heavy pan or rolling pin until crushed. If using a food processor, pulse in intervals of 5 sec until turned into crumbs.
5. If using nuts, crush/grind into small pieces. Measure out 1 cup. If using shredded coconut, just measure out 1 cup.
6. Mix together nuts/coconut and crushed vanilla wafers.
7. Stir together chocolate mixture into the dry crumbs. If the mixture is too wet, add 2 – 3 T more of crushed vanilla wafers.
8. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in extra sugar.
9. Store in airtight container with parchment paper separating layers for 1 – 2 weeks before serving.