Kahlua balls are delightful coffee-infused dessert bites wrapped in a creamy filling and coated in decadent chocolate, offering a deliciously indulgent treat for any occasion.
16ouncesmilk chocolate almond bark,broken into smaller chunks
4ounceswhite chocolate almond bark,broken into smaller chunks
Instructions
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat, and set aside.
In the container of a food processor, add the shortbread cookies and powdered sugar. Pulse for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until you have fine crumbs.
Add the softened cream cheese, Kahlua coffee-flavored liqueur, and instant espresso powder to the food processor and pulse for an additional 20-30 seconds or until the mixture is smooth and all the cream cheese has been fully incorporated.
Using a 1½-inch (1½ tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop out a level scoop of the Kahlua ball mixture and place it onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all the cream cheese mixture has been scooped.
Place the baking tray into the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the Kahlua balls to firm up enough to be rolled and dipped into chocolate.
Once the Kahlua balls have firmed up, roll each ball in the palm of your hand to make smooth balls for dipping. You can place your tray of smooth Kahlua balls back into the refrigerator to stay cold while you melt your chocolate.
In a microwave-safe bowl, add the milk chocolate almond bark and microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then melt in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is fully melted. Be sure to stir the chocolate between each time in the microwave. Do not overheat your chocolate. Stir until smooth. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly before dipping your Kahlua balls into it.
Place a Kahula ball onto a fork and dip the ball into the melted chocolate. Once the ball is fully coated with chocolate, lift the fork out of the chocolate and tap it onto the edge of the bowl to allow any excess melted chocolate to drip off the bottom of the chocolate-coated Kahula ball.
Using a toothpick, or separate fork, gently slide the coated Kahlua ball off the fork and onto the second parchment-lined baking tray. Repeat until all the balls are coated in the milk chocolate.
To make the white chocolate drizzle, add the white chocolate almond bark to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then heat again in 30-second intervals until fully melted. Stir until smooth.
Transfer the melted white chocolate to a piping bag with a small piece of the tip cut off, then add a decorative drizzle of the white chocolate to the tops of each of the chocolate-coated Kahlua balls. You can use a spoon, or fork, to add the decorative drizzle instead of the piping bag if desired.
Place the tray of chocolate-coated Kahlua balls back into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate coating to firm up before serving.
Notes
If you use instant espresso powder, ensure it is very finely ground. If not, you can add it to your Kahlua and stir it until it dissolves, then you can add it to your Kahlua to the cream cheese mixture. Do not add any additional liquid espresso to your cream cheese mixture, as this will alter the final texture of the Kahlua balls.
A 1½-inch (1½ tablespoon) cookie scoop was used for this recipe. If your cookie scoop is slightly smaller or larger, then you will need to note that your total number of Kahlua balls will vary slightly.
The microwave used for this recipe is 1000 watts. If your microwave is different, then your heating times may vary. Follow the instructions for your brand of microwave.
Do not overheat your chocolate, or you have the risk of it burning or seizing up. If this happens, you will need to start over with new milk chocolate almond bark or melting discs.
Before your milk chocolate candy coating hardens completely, you can take a toothpick and run it around the bottom edge of your dipped Kahlua balls for a cleaner bottom edge once the chocolate hardens completely.