Buttercream Bonbons

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond or orange or rum or cherry extract)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening

Recipe

• 1 combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. beat at medium speed until smooth.
• 2 add vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
• 3 reduce speed to low. while beating at low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until well mixed. (if mixture is too soft, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to form balls.).
• 4 shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. cover loosely; refrigerate until firm (2 hours, or overnight if preferred).
• 5 melt chocolate chips and shortening in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth (3 to 4 minutes).
• 6 insert a toothpick into a buttercream bon bon. holding the toohpick, dip the bon bon into the melted chocolate. let excess chocolate drip back into saucepan.
• 7 place chocolate-covered bon bon on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, and remove the toothpick. repeat until all the bon bons are coated with melted chocolate.
• 8 place the sheet of bon bons in the refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.
• 9 place bon bons in an air-tight container, with a sheet of waxed paper between the layers to keep the bon bons from sticking to one another. store container in refrigerator (or in the freezer for up to 2 months) until ready to serve.