It’s National Rum Day

Well slap me silly!  Today is National Rum Day!  Who knew?  What's your favorite way to use it?  Drink it? Cook with it?  My personal fave - Rum Balls!  I never eat these because they would not last long!!  Get a great recipe I've tried before after the jump!

Hope you enjoy them much as I did!  Oh and if you want to bring some to me after you make 'em, I wouldn't mind. :)  LT
Rum Balls (from joyofbaking.com):

1 1/2 cups (140 grams) toasted pecans, finely chopped (hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds can be used)
1 1/4 cups (120 grams) finely crushed vanilla wafer cookies
1/2 cup (55 grams) confectioners sugar (powdered or icing)
2 tablespoons (12 grams) cocoa powder (can used Dutch processed or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (or liquid glucose syrup)
1/4 cup (60 ml) rum

Toppings:
Confectioners (powdered or icing) Sugar
Finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or pistachios)
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Melted Chocolate (Dark or White)
Rum 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 chop the nuts finely with a knife or place the nuts in your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.

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

Then roll the rum 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 rum 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 rum 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 3 dozen (36 rum balls). Preparation time 30 minutes.