Recipe: Chocolate Bonbon Pops

Welcome to fuss-free, up-to-date holiday baking. This recipe for "Chocolate Bonbon Pops" and other familiar favorites are reinvented for today by Better Homes and Gardens magazine, which published them in the December 2008 issue.

The BHG recipes for "Red Velvet Whoopie Pies," "Cherry Tassies," "Chai Spice Girls" and "Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks" also can be found on Seattletimes.com/foodwine.

CHOCOLATE BONBON POPS

We used Oreos to get the intense chocolate flavor of these no-bake bonbons. Find lollipop sticks in the baking section of large supermarkets and baking supply stores.

Prep: 30 min. Freeze: 30 min. Chill: 1 hr.

Makes 20 pops

18 chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling

1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted

2 Tbsp. orange liqueur or orange juice

1 Tbsp. light-color corn syrup

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

20 lollipop sticks

1 12-oz. pkg. milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate pieces

1 Tbsp. Shortening

1. In large food processor bowl combine cookies and 3/4 cup of the nuts; pulse until cookies are crushed. Add orange liqueur, corn syrup and cocoa powder; process until combined. Add remaining nuts; pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape cookie mixture in 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet, insert a lollipop stick and freeze for 30 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and shortening. Cook and stir over medium-low heat just until melted. Remove from heat. Dip pops in chocolate. Return to baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. If using liqueur, flavor will mellow after a day or two. Makes 20 pops.

To store: Place in covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.

Each pop: 208 calories, 14 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 71 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein. Daily Values: 4 percent calcium, 7 percent iron.

Recipe by Angela McCrovitz / Better Homes and Gardens

For more Better Homes and Gardens ideas, see www.bhg.com.

— — —