This week finds us with Allrecipes' cook, Jessica, in Delaware, Ohio as she whips up some delicious Kentucky Bourbon Balls! Hailing originally from Kentucky, she proves that while you can take the girl out of Kentucky, you can't take Kentucky out of the girl. Kentucky is famous for many things such as thoroughbred horses, the Kentucky Derby, mint juleps, and basketball, but it is also home to many bourbon distilleries, from which bourbon balls first originated. Additionally, just to keep things interesting, she also shows Michael why they call her the "Cookie Lady" and makes some delicious Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti.
Kentucky is famous for a lot of things such as thoroughbred horses, the Kentucky Derby, mint juleps, and basketball to name a few. Kentucky is also home to many bourbon distilleries, from which bourbon balls first originated. Now, while the season of holiday spirits is upon us, liquors aren't only for the glass but equally suited for a festive touch to many desserts!
Of all the spirits and liqueurs, bourbon is one of the most versatile in the kitchen. During the aging process (usually 2-4 years) the bourbon picks up notes of caramel, vanilla, and buttery richness, characteristics that make it a perfect partner for whatever awaits your sweet tooth. Bourbon complements desserts and adds both a complexity and a kick that arguably makes it better for baking than other whiskeys. That proves true with this week's recipe, Kentucky Bourbon Balls. Kentucky Bourbon Balls (1,145 RB saves, with a 5-star rating) are a highly searched sweet during the holidays. From the family of Allrecipes' cook, Jessica, these Kentucky Bourbon Balls are some that everybody, family and friends alike, will love. View the Recipe >>>.
Additionally, Jessica also demonstrated a relatively easy recipe for making Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, a decadent, crunchy biscotti for dunking or enjoying on its own as well as presenting beautifully for gift-giving.
We will henceforth call it by a more accurate honorific: biscotti di Jessica (biscuits of Jessica).
Adding bourbon to a dessert is often a matter of trial and error. Too often bakers err on the side of timidity, and recipes with bourbon in the title just don't live up to the name. You might have to make a dessert two or three times before you strike the right balance.
To add the flavor of bourbon to a dessert without adding the harshness of the alcohol, try reducing it on the stove first.
Some bourbons have a sweet, smooth profile, others are a little spicy. Generally the smoother, sweeter bourbons, such as Woodford Reserve, are a better choice for baking. But whatever you choose, be sure it's a good-quality brand with lots of flavor. If it's not something you'd want to drink, you probably won't want to eat it, either.
Rum or Bourbon Balls
It isn't Christmas without these!
Cherry Bourbon Balls
Add a fruity kick to these holiday standards.
Bourbon Balls II
A family favorite recipe perfect for Christmas or New Year's Eve!
Allrecipes' cook Jessica is originally from Kentucky and moved to Ohio a couple of years back.
"I'm a private music teacher, wife of a great guy, stepmom to two great teenagers, and aunt to three of the world's best kids. They are my best critics, and my biggest fans."
She is also a voice teacher who loves to cook, especially bake. She has a lot of favorites that she loves to cook. Her family has their favorites, but around the area, she's known for her sweets, often referred to as the "Cookie Lady". This is due in large part due to her love of baking cookies and cakes followed by taking them to people who are new to the neighborhood or having some type of hardship in their life.
"I'm originally from Kentucky and I guess I just grew up knowing that the best way to show someone you care is to bring them something from your oven."
Jessica participates at her local farmers' market when her schedule allows where you can find her selling her baked goods. There's a reason she's successful...what she bakes is GOOD!
"Always carry a flagon of whisky in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake."
~ W. C. Fields
I first met up with Jessica at the Little Brown Jug, a local harness racing venue in Delaware, Ohio. The Little Brown Jug is the premier pacing classic for 3-year-olds. Through its humble beginnings, the Jug grew slowly to become perhaps the most traditional stake on the pacing gait. In 1956 the Jug provided the anchor for the newly designated Triple Crown of Pacing to go along with The Cane Pace at Yonkers (N.Y.) Raceway and the Messenger Stake then at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, N.Y. The Little Brown Jug is now a part of Americana and it appears that it shall ever remain so.
It seems only appropriate that this week's cook originally hails from Louisville, Kentucky, home to the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, followed by the Preakness Stakes then the Belmont Stakes. To top it off, she was going to show me how to make Kentucky Bourbon Balls which I'd never heard of nor had before my visit. Since time allowed, she also showed me how to make a Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, though I must admit, my efforts turned out looking more like driftwood while her results were beautiful!
The key ingredient to her Kentucky Bourbon Balls was the bourbon. And as Jessica insisted, it had to be Kentucky Bourbon. No other substitutions would be allowed. Straight from Wikipedia, Bourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn (maize) and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. The origin of bourbon is not well documented. Instead, there are many conflicting legends and claims, some more credible than others. For example, the invention of bourbon is often attributed to a pioneering Baptist minister and distiller named Elijah Craig. Rev. Craig (credited with many Kentucky firsts, e.g., fulling mill, paper mill, ropewalk, etc.) is said to also be the first to age the distillation in charred oak casks, "a process that gives the bourbon its reddish color and unique taste." Across the county line in Bourbon County, an early distiller named Jacob Spears is credited with being the first to label his product "Bourbon whiskey." Although still popular and often repeated, the Craig legend has little actual credibility. Similarly, the Spears story is a local favorite, rarely repeated outside the county. There likely was no single "inventor" of bourbon, which developed into its present form only in the late 19th century.
Nevertheless, Jessica is clearly the inventor of today's recipe and is surely on the road to becoming a legend of its own. Thanks, Jessica for sharing your recipes today as well as the great contribution to the closing song!
The Little Brown Jug
A Chicago tradition of bargains and bargaining with an international flavor.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Celebrating One of the World's Finest Spirits in the Bourbon Capital of the World.
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