Jack Daniels Whiskey Salted Caramel Truffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE LOVERS' FUDGE WITH JACK DANIEL'S® WHISKEY

Steps:

• Pour whiskey into a small bowl, add pecan halves, and allow them to soak in the whiskey for about 3 hours.
• Line 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Cut 2 pieces of foil about 14 inches long, and cut or fold each to an 8- inch width. Cover the bottom and 2 sides of the pan from left to right with 1 piece of foil. Use the remaining foil piece to cross the first layer of foil from top to bottom of the pan. Press foil firmly into the corners, and fold any excess over the sides of the pan. You will now have a double foil sling to lift the finished fudge from the pan.
• Drain pecans, reserving 2 ounces of the whiskey, and set aside.
• Place milk and dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler over 1 inch of simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, smooth, and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Remove melted chocolate from the heat and slowly pour in sweetened condensed milk, stirring until well blended. Add melted butter and salt, stirring continuously. Mix in reserved whiskey and stir until mixture is creamy and smooth.
• Pour into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread smoothly and evenly. Arrange 16 pecans on top, in 4 rows of 4 pecans each. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Use the foil sling to lift the fudge from the pan. Place the fudge on a cutting board and cut into 16 pieces with a bench scraper or sharp knife.

CHOCOLATE-WHISKEY TRUFFLES SOUFFLES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make truffles:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Mix in whiskey. Chill until mixture is cold and firm, at least 2 hours.
• Drop truffle mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Line baking sheet with foil. Roll each chocolate drop between palms into ball (if truffle sticks to hands, dust hands with unsweetened cocoa powder); place on baking sheet. Freeze until hard, about 1 hour; then cover. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Make sauce:
• Place cream in small bowl. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Mix seeds and bean into cream.
• Stir sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return pan to low heat; stir until caramel is smooth. Boil until color deepens and caramel thickens, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Strain caramel into small bowl. Chill sauce. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Make soufflés:
• Whisk yolks to blend in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cocoa in medium stainless steel bowl until no cornstarch lumps remain. Whisk in milk. Add chocolate and butter. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
• Place bowl with chocolate mixture over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from over water. Gradually whisk some of hot chocolate mixture into yolks. Whisk yolk mixture back into bowl with chocolate mixture.
• Place over simmering water. Whisk until smooth and thickened to pudding consistency, about 4 minutes. Remove from over water. Gradually mix in whiskey. Remove bean; cool to lukewarm.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter eight 2/3- to 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups; dust with sugar. Arrange dishes on baking sheet. Place 1 truffle in each dish.
• Using electric mixer, beat whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.
• Fold whites into lukewarm soufflé base in 2 additions. Divide soufflé mixture among prepared dishes, filling almost to top. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover dishes with foil and freeze. Uncover but do not thaw before baking.) Place soufflés on baking sheet in oven; reduce temperature to 400°F. Bake until puffed and dry-looking on top, about 17 minutes for unfrozen or 22 minutes for frozen.
• Transfer dishes to plates. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve, passing cold caramel sauce separately.

IRISH BREAD PUDDING WITH JACK DANIELS CARAMEL-WHISKEY SAUCE

Steps:

• BEFORE YOU BEGIN (OPTIONAL): Lay out bread slices and allow to get a crusty as possible (I will usually set out at least 24 hours in advance.) This allows the bread to become very dry and crusty so it can absorb as much pudding as possible. ALSO combine the raisins and whiskey in a small bowl, cover, and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow the raisins to soak up as much whiskey as possible. If you forget, the raisins only need to sit for about 30 minutes to soak up quite a bit of whiskey.
• JACK DANIEL'S CARAMEL-WHISKEY SAUCE: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves.
• Simmer until sugar mixture is golden (about 17 minutes). DO NOT STIR!
• Remove from heat.
• Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk until all clumps are dissolved. CAUTION! Mixture will bubble vigorously and release a lot of hot steam.
• Cool slightly. Stir in whiskey and milk. Mixture will bubble a bit at this step as well.
• PUDDING: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices.
• Bake buttered side up until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
• Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, eggs, and UNDRAINED whiskey mixture in a large bowl. Stir well with a whisk.
• Add bread cubes, pressing down gently to moisten; let stand about 20 minutes. If your bowl is a little small, gently fold the cubes into the mixture with a spatula.
• Pour bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated well with cooking spray.
• Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding.
• Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until set.
• Serve warm with Jack Daniel's caramel-whiskey sauce.
• TO MAKE THIS KID FRIENDLY: Substitute apple juice for Jack Daniel's in pudding and 1 tablespoon imitation rum extract and 3 tablespoons water in Caramel-Whiskey sauce.

CHOCOLATE WHISKEY TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat.
• Stirring until smooth.
• Mix in crushed cookies and whiskey.
• Pour into a bowl, cover and chill about 45 minutes.
• Line a cookie sheet with foil and drop truffle mixture by tablespoon, spacing apart Freeze 15 minutes.
• Sift cocoa and 1/3 cup sugar together.
• Roll each truffle in the sugar.
• Place in air tight container and refrigerate.
• Can be made up to a week before serving.
• Let stand at room temp for 15 minutes before serving.