Pecans, pecans, pecans! If you’re blessed to have a mature pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) growing vigorously on your property, perhaps you’re faced with the dilemma of what to do with all those tasty little nuts. (Let’s face it, you can only eat so much pecan pie!) With a freezer full of bagged pecans and holiday festivities knocking at your door, here’s a sweet alternative that your family and friends will go “nuts” over.
Serve up some pecan goodness for the holidays!
Photo Credit: Rachel A. Margolis
These fully chilled pecan balls are ready to take the chocolate plunge.
Photo Credit: Rachel A. Margolis
Coat your treats thoroughly in chocolate. (Dipping is part of the fun!)
Photo Credit: Rachel A. Margolis
Make sure the chocolate is cooled and hard before storing the candy in the refrigerator.
Photo Credit: Rachel A. Margolis
We all know that nothing brings the holidays alive like family traditions and recipes. Whether it’s hanging tinsel on the tree on Christmas Eve or Grandma’s melt-in-your-mouth honey-baked ham, it’s these festive holiday traditions that make Christmas wonderfully unique for each of us. For me, the signature of the Christmas season is my mother’s delectable pecan-filled candy treats: Martha Washingtons. If I had slept all year and woke up to these chocolate tasty creations, I would know exactly which holiday it was – Christmas!
So make room in your cookbook for these delectable pecan-filled treats. Grab those pecans from the freezer (or pick some up from the store). Here’s my mother’s recipe that filled my childhood Christmases with mouthwatering delight – and it’s sure to do the same for yours.
Martha Washingtons
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
- 2 cups flaked coconut
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ pound (one stick) soft margarine or butter
- 2 pounds confectioners powdered sugar
- Melted dipping chocolate
Directions
Blend all ingredients together (except dipping chocolate) in a large mixing bowl. Roll mixture by hand into small balls that are about ¾ of an inch in diameter. Place balls on cookie sheets lined with wax paper (to prevent sticking). Chill balls in refrigerator or freezer for 1-2 hours (or until hard).
Prepare Dipping Chocolate
Chocolate Paraffin Mixture: Melt ¼ pound paraffin and one large (12-ounce) package of chocolate bits in a small saucepan over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
or…
Quick-and-Easy Dipping Chocolate: You can use chocolate bark (two 24-ounce packages) for dipping instead of the chocolate-paraffin mixture. You can even melt bark in the microwave as directed on the package. (Or try vanilla bark for a sweet and different taste!)
When the balls are fully chilled, insert a toothpick into each and dip into the prepared dipping chocolate mixture to coat thoroughly. Place dipped balls back onto the waxed-covered cookie sheet and allow chocolate to cool and harden. Store candy in the refrigerator in a sealed container until you’re ready to serve and enjoy.
Happy holidays!
