When you hear “candy-making,” you may think of an elaborate affair involving specialized equipment and lots of time. But that’s not always the case. These no-cook treats require very little time only a few minutes in the microwave and freezer. We created a no-fuss filling for our candies by microwaving white chocolate with cream, essentially making a rich, smooth white chocolate ganache. But we didn’t stop there; we added ground almonds to the mixture for heft and bourbon for a welcome bite that provided a welcome contrast to the sweet white chocolate. To finish, we rolled the balls in complementary toasted coconut that we’d processed to fine crumbs. The key to these petite treats is to thoroughly chill the mixture in the freezer before rolling it into balls. Once firm, the candies don’t fall apart when rolled in the coconut coating. You can use either white bar chocolate or white chocolate chips, but we found bar chocolate to melt more consistently. The balls will soften as they sit, so it’s best to serve them chilled.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
- 1⅓ cups (4 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon bourbon or dark rum
- Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.
- Process almonds in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds; transfer to bowl. Process coconut in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds; spread in shallow dish.
- Combine chocolate and cream in large bowl. Microwave, covered, at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in bourbon and almonds. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into even layer with greased spatula. Freeze, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Using foil overhang, lift chilled mixture from pan and transfer to cutting board. Cut into thirty squares, then roll squares into balls. Roll balls in coconut to coat and transfer to platter. Freeze, uncovered, until firm, about 10 minutes. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
