ABRAMS Books Spotlight: Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes...Featuring Coconut-Pecan Truffles #southernlivingannualrecipes2021 #chocolate #nobaketreats #fudgetruffles

I'm winding down Christmas week with an ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group feature...showcasing one of my most anticipated books this season! Southern Living recipes are a standard bearer here in the South...a beloved food resource shared from generation to generation. That's because their recipes always seem to taste like the South...and we can always count on the recipes giving us good results and fabulous flavor! Every December, the Southern Living annual recipes cookbook comes out...featuring every recipe from the past year in one convenient location. I have every edition going back to 1997, so I was thrilled to see Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes on my Dinner Party lineup! There are so many recipes I can't wait to try in the coming months...but this time, I needed a quick and delicious Christmas treat. I quickly honed in on the no-bake Coconut-Pecan Truffles. With just a handful of simple ingredients, these sweet treats are easy to make up to a day ahead...because the chocolate truffle mixture needs to chill before being rolled in crushed pecans. Simple and decadent, they're ideal all year round...but especially for the holiday season!

Coconut-Pecan Truffles

from Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes

Ingredients (makes 24 bite-size truffles):

• 8 oz. high-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped [NOTE: I used Ghirardelli 60% Dark Chips]
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 TBS unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 6 TBS unsweetened finely shredded coconut
• 1 1/4 cups toasted pecans, finely chopped/ground

Directions:

Step 1: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Do not let mixture boil! Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand 1 minute.

Step 2: Whisk the chocolate until smooth and shiny. Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and coconut to chocolate mixture. Stir to combine, scraping down side of bowls as necessary.

Step 3: Tap bowl on counter so chocolate truffle mixture has a smooth top surface. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. [NOTE: I chilled the chocolate truffle mixture overnight, and it worked great!] Place the chopped/ground pecans in a shallow dish. Scoop a heaping teaspoon of the truffle mixture, and use your hands to quickly roll into a ball. Gently roll in pecans to coat. Place the coated truffles in small fluted paper candy liners, then place on a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Store any leftover truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

These simply decadent truffles are so good! Be sure to use good-quality chocolate, because the chocolate is definitely front and center in these silky truffles. The combination of coconut and pecans is iconic in the South -- think Hummingbird Cake and German Chocolate Cake -- so these truffles are perfection to my family! These would make a fabulous last-minute hostess gift...or addition to a Christmas cookie/sweet platter. Trust me...they'll go quick!

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes as part of the ABRAMS Publishing Dinner Party blogging group. All opinions shared are solely my own.