Wally Bites

Wally bites are great if you’re looking for something sweet that doesn’t require you to bake. These are basically walnuts that have been toasted, simmered in maple syrup with bourbon and fresh orange zest, and then dipped in espresso-infused dark chocolate. Dusted with a little cocoa and flaky sea salt, they will have some crunch and a slight film of maple and of course a fair amount of chocolate.

These are perfect around the holiday season as well. There’s no oven to contend with and no dough to chill. You can save these for when company comes over or divide them up into small gift bags. Just remember to leave some for yourself! They’re great alongside coffee when you can find a spare moment to relax.

Why This Recipe Is Great

There are many things to love about walnuts dipped in chocolate. Covered with maple syrup, bourbon, and orange zest, they’ll have a nice sweetness to them, but the cocoa dusted on the outside balances it out. Salt is also helpful, especially a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top. Since you’re working with whole walnuts (or large pieces) that are dry-toasted first, you have extra crunch and rich texture to go along with the chocolate.

Cleanup is minimal. You will use a skillet to cook the walnuts in and a bowl to dip them in chocolate. Line everything with parchment paper and have it all nearby before you start cooking. There are some cooling stages involved with this recipe but it won’t take long to clean up your mess. By the time your chocolate has set you will have plenty of time to finish washing.

Ingredients

Walnuts, maple syrup, bourbon, orange zest, salt, semi-sweet or dark chocolate, espresso powder, cocoa powder, and flaky sea salt. You’re going to want your walnuts and chocolate to have good flavor on their own since you only have so few ingredients.

Walnuts

Use walnuts that are fresh and have a good taste to them. Try tasting one before you dive right into this recipe. They shouldn’t have a strong bitter taste. Walnuts that are bigger are easier to scoop out of the chocolate and will give you more of a crunchy texture. Pre-toasting them in a dry skillet before glazing brings out their natural oils and extra crunch. If you have broken walnuts feel free to add those in as well. You can coat the smaller pieces together. You can also substitute pecans for walnuts.

Maple Syrup, Bourbon & Zest

You want to use maple syrup that has good flavor to it. Simmering it with a tablespoon of bourbon and finely grated fresh orange zest adds a deep, aromatic twist. As you cook the maple syrup will become thicker and coat the walnuts. Once cooled they will have a film of sweetness around them. You can substitute honey for a different type of sweetness (or vanilla extract instead of bourbon). Just know that honey might be more of a sticky coating and will not act the same as you cook it. Using maple syrup will be more true to the recipe.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Espresso

Using semi-sweet or dark chocolate will allow these wally bites to have some sweetness without overpowering the walnuts and maple syrup. Stirring a touch of instant espresso powder into the melted chocolate deepens the rich cocoa flavor. Most chocolate bars that you would melt will work well. Be sure to chop into even pieces so that you don’t have larger pieces still melting while the rest is done. You can also use dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate for your wally bites.

Directions

Make sure you have parchment paper laid out before you start to cook. You will want to pull the walnuts out of the skillet once your maple syrup thickens.

Toast Walnuts

In a large dry skillet over medium heat, add your walnut halves. Toast for 2–3 minutes until warm and fragrant, stirring frequently.

Simmer Walnuts

On medium heat cook the walnuts in the large skillet. Add maple syrup, bourbon, orange zest, and fine sea salt. Stir and let cook for 2–4 minutes. You want the syrup to thicken and cling to the walnuts. Be sure to keep an eye on the pan as it will start to burn very quickly.

Let Walnuts Cool

Once walnuts have thickened and are coated in maple syrup, remove them from the skillet and dump onto parchment paper. Use a spatula or two forks to pull walnuts apart if they are connected. Allow them to have some room in between. Once they are completely cooled you can move on to the next step.

Melt Chocolate & Espresso

Place chocolate and instant espresso powder in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this process until the chocolate has melted. You may be able to finish melting some of the smaller pieces by just stirring them in.

Dip Walnuts In Chocolate

Once your walnuts have cooled you can add them to the melted chocolate. Stir until each walnut is coated. Scoop walnuts out with two forks and allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place on top of parchment paper with some space in between.

Dust With Cocoa Powder & Salt

Allow the chocolate to cool for about 3–4 minutes and dust cocoa on top of wally bites. You can flip them over and dust on all sides. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt. Allow the chocolate to set before removing from parchment paper.

Tips

• Set out your parchment paper before you start cooking your walnuts. Once the walnuts are coated in maple syrup it can become very sticky. By having the parchment paper ready you will have less to deal with. Don’t lay your walnuts on a plate or cookie sheet without parchment paper.
• Don’t rush the melting of your chocolate. Stir it in between each time you put it in the microwave. You may think you still have quite a few pieces left but after stirring you will see it has melted further. If your chocolate smells burnt you may want to start over.
• When dusting cocoa powder over your walnuts I recommend using a small sifter or even a tea strainer. You can always dust more cocoa powder but if you pile too much it can taste a little bland and bitter.

Storing Wally Bites

• After your wally bites have finished setting you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Line container with parchment paper if stacking them.
• Place in air tight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the container and then enjoy. Your wally bites may seem moist from the cocoa. If desired dust them with more.
• No need to reheat your wally bites.

Enjoy With

• Line with parchment paper and place in a tin to give away during the holidays.
• Enjoy on top of a cheese board or dessert board.
• Sprinkle chopped pieces on ice cream.
• Pair with coffee or an after-dinner cocktail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chocolate chips instead?

You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe. Some brands of chocolate chips will be thicker than your average chocolate that you melt down. Just be mindful of that as you are melting them in the microwave.

Why isn’t my chocolate setting?

If your home is warm your wally bites may take longer to set. Place the parchment paper you are working with on top of a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Check to see if they have set and refrigerate a little longer if needed.