Everyone is familiar with the intoxicating flavor of holiday rum balls. Christine Weber Hale, food writer at Sunset magazine, shows us an easy way to make these treats using port wine. Ingredients: 12 oz. vanilla wafer cookies
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa (this process removes much of the acidity found naturally in cocoa beans)
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup port wine
1/2 cup powdered sugar Combine cookies, pecans and cocoa in a food processor until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Add corn syrup and port wine to the mixture and blend together. Shape the mixture into balls that are about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and let sit while the sugar is absorbed. Roll the balls in the sugar again right before serving. If you do not have a food processor, place the cookies in a large Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin. Chop the pecans separately then add to the cookie crumbs in a bowl. You can store the wine balls in the freezer for over 2 months. When ready to use, thaw and roll in powdered sugar before serving.
| 
