Bourbon Balls: To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Put the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool completely and then finely chop.

Process the vanilla wafer cookies in your food processor until finely chopped. Add the crumbs to the chopped pecans. To this mixture add the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder and stir until combined. Add the corn syrup and bourbon and mix well. Add more bourbon if necessary. Chill the batter and then shape into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. 

Roll the bourbon balls in confectioners sugar, finely chopped nuts, or cocoa powder. If dipping in chocolate, put about 3 ounces (90 grams) of chopped dark chocolate and 1 teaspoon of shortening or butter in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the bourbon balls from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls on a baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Once the chocolate has hardened you can drizzle the bourbon balls with melted white chocolate.

Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Makes about 36 Bourbon Balls.