Sugarplums

Yield: about 48

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, + more sugar for coating
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup apple juice*
• 2 1/2 cups finely ground vanilla wafers
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• Candied cherry halves

Instructions

1. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
2. Stir in the 1/2 cup sugar, the corn syrup and the apple juice.
3. Off the heat, stir in the wafer crumbs and pecans to make a paste-like mixture.
4. Let mixture cool enough to handle.
5. Roll small bits of mixture into 1 inch balls.
6. Roll each ball in the additional sugar.
7. Press a candied cherry half into top center of each ball.
8. Store in an airtight container. These cookies improve with age.

Notes

* For "grown-up" sugarplums, substitute brandy for the apple juice.