Working with chocolate couverture and bourbon balls

I'm making my friend Elizabeth's Bourbon balls for my SIL. 8 oz. chopped pecans are marinated overnight in 2 oz bourbon. Then cream 4oz butter and 16 oz (I used 2/3 of a pound) confectioner's sugar. Add another 2 oz bourbon and the marinated pecans, let sit overnight in the fridge. The balls are then dipped into melted unsweetened (!) chocolate.
Two problems: the mixture is very loose (added 1/2 c more pecans which is helping) AND unsweetened chocolate is just going to taste nasty when it first hits the palate, sugary filling notwithstanding. There just seem to be problems with this recipe.
I have milk chocolate couverture, baker's semisweet bars, unsweetened baking chocolate...I need suggestions for what combination will give me a nice semisweet flavor with the texture of a couverture.
Elizabeth passed away this year at 100 years old...and I think she took her bourbon ball secrets to her grave. Help!

Windischgirl
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2 Comments

LeBec F.
LeBec F. December 17, 2015
well, my reaction is the same as yours about that unsweetened chocolate. A very easy way to test your theory is to roll the ball in unsweetened cocoa powder and try it..... If you then decide you want a dark chocolate covering, and you only have in your pantry the 3 items you listed, I would melt together part semisweet chocolate and part unsweetened. I myself prefer really dark chocolate and I regularly use Trader Joe's (Caillebaut) 74% cocoa dark chocolate. And don't forget a little kosher salt to help counter all that sweetness!
 
Windischgirl
Windischgirl December 18, 2015
I think I've been saddled with a skunk of a recipe. I'm not even sure that the filling will submit to being rolled into balls. I think I will add some graham cracker crumbs to firm the filling up. I am also in love with my couverture, as I think it'll give the balls a nice finish, but because it's milk chocolate and rather sweet, I think I'll do a 50/50 mix with unsweetened chocolate. The original recipe called for adding a slab of paraffin to the chocolate!
If I get something that is edible (by someone beyond my SIL), I'll post my recipe. Elizabeth is probably cackling with laughter from the great beyond, with the knowledge that only she knows her secret recipe...
 
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