Sweet and Nutty Christmas Balls

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas, North American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Chill Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: balls

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen

These bright and festive treats are prepared with ground nuts and sweetened condensed milk. Sweet and Nutty Christmas Balls are where candies and cookies meet to create the most delectable and rich holiday confection. It's extremely hard to eat just one of these!

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Ingredients

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts, use a combination of walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds, etc., be sure to measure after the nuts are finely chopped up not before
3 cups green candy melts
1 teaspoons vegetable shortening

Instructions

Transfer the sweetened condensed milk and flour to a saucepan and stir well until the flour is completely dissolved and absorbed into the condensed milk.
Add in the nuts and turn the heat to medium. Continously stirring slowly, cook the mixture for 10 minutes. The mixture will thicken and gradually become increasingly difficult to stir, but continue to cook and stir for the entire time. Do not leave unattended. The mixture can burn quickly.
Transfer the mixture to a dinner plate and allow it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer it to the fridge for 20 additional minutes.
Once chilled, remove the mixture from your fridge and roll it into one-inch balls. Place the balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop them back into the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.
In the meantime, add the candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl. Add the vegetable shortening and microwave on medium speed for 30 seconds. Remove the candy melts from the microwave and stir well with a rubber spatula. Microwave again for 30 seconds on half speed and stir well. Repeat this until the candy melts are melted and smooth.
Working with one ball at a time, dunk them into the bowl of melted candy melts and use a fork to carefully lift the ball out of the bowl. Lightly tap the handle of the fork onto the rim of the bowl to remove the excess candy melts, allowing it to fall back into the bowl.
Next, transfer the ball back to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Transfer the remaining melted candy melts to separate resealable sandwich bags.
Cut a small tip from one lower corner. Hover the bag over the balls and drizzle the melted melts in a zig-zag pattern. Immediately top with sprinkles, if using.
Place the entire sheet pan in your fridge to firm up. Leave them for at least 1 hour. Once frim, the balls can be transferred to a food-safe container or packaged. Keep the balls refrigerated.

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