Fall for bourbon barrel-aged flavor with delicious recipes using our sweet candy creations!
Fall is a spectacular season of splendor. Leaves are changing, temperatures are cooling down, and fall flavor is put on display. From tailgates and fire-pits, to family gatherings - we love to enjoy signature Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged flavor everything from our Old Fashioned's to our hearty chili. Of course, fall is also home to a few holidays, namely Thanksgiving, but let's not forget the one that turns our children into little goblins - both literally and figuratively. Of course, we are talking about Halloween. While this is considered spooky season for many, we prefer the other aspect that focuses on, you guessed it, treats!
So we are announcing that it is officially candy season. For us, that begins with the first hint of crisp air and lasts all the way through Holiday Season. Well, when you love our signature bourbon-barrel aged candies as much as we do, candy season has no beginning or end, but we sure will take this opportunity to celebrate it. Learn more about our Golden Ticket Giveaway.
When we began Pappy & Company ten years ago, we knew we had to introduce our own bourbon balls. A delightfully decadent little bite of bliss, the Bourbon Ball is the stuff of Kentucky lore. Originally crafted by Rebecca Ruth Candy Company in 1938, we had to knock our version of the bourbon ball out of the park in order to be a part of that conversation, and frankly, we think we did. Especially since our signature Bourbon Balls do boast that "Yes, we DO HAVE PAPPY...in our Bourbon Balls!" Made in partnership with our friend Maggie Jones of The Sugar Mamas Bakeshop in Louisville, they are the just right combination of chocolate and a creamy bourbon laced filling. So while you may say fall is football season, or fall is apple season or pumpkin season, we know that really, fall is bourbon ball season.
We expanded our line of culinary confections only when we began to work with another partner who shares a similar approach to quality and craftsmanship, Olive & Sinclair candy in Nashville Tennessee. We began with our signature Bourbon Barrel-Aged Nib Brittle featuring creamy hand crafted chocolate studded throughout with Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged cacao nibs and expanded to include Barrel-Aged Coffee Nib Brittle, Nib Caramels and Barrel-Aged Ghost Pepper Caramels. Learn more about our partnership with Olive & Sinclair.
Our barrel-aged and bourbon infused confections are delicious on their own, make a great gift and special after dinner treat, but since we don't just stop there - we also have some truly indulgent recipes that take it over the top.
One such recipe, a chocolate cake with Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Brittle topping was a desert dreamed up by one of the mentees of the Women Culinary and Spirits Program of The Lee Initiative, the philanthropic mission of our friend, famed Chef, James Beard Award Winning Cookbook Author, and fan favorite from Top Chef, Edward Lee. Infused with the the flavor of our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee and topped with our Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Brittle this rich and decadent delight from Tonya Mays Cronin delivers a direct hit to your sweet tooth.
We cooked up these Bourbon Brittle Caramel Apples last fall, taking advantage of another fall staple - and dipped crisp juicy apples in bourbon soaked creamy caramel and rolled them in crushed Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel-Aged Brittle for an elevated twist on a childhood favorite. This is also a fun hands-on recipe with kiddos (omitting the bourbon) ,just beware of little hands sneaking away with bites of brittle!
For an aptly named, spookily sweet, spicy and salty treat, we used our Ghost Pepper Caramels (see what we did there) for our own Spicy Sea Salt Caramel Pappycorn (looks like we are on a roll here). Coating popcorn in our Ghost Pepper Caramels, where the perfectly balanced combination of our barrel-aged ghost pepper mash (best known for our fan favorite Pappy Van Winkle Barrel-Aged Pepper Sauce) and salty, creamy caramel make for a sweet and spicy delight, creates a sweet, salty and spicy snack for sharing (or not).
Celebrate the splendors of the sweet season with these delicious treats inspired by our barrel-aged flavors!
Louise Van Winkle Breen, Co-Founder
For Cake Layers:
For Buttercream:
Tonya is a graduate of Lexington’s Sullivan University and the chef and owner of Kismet in Lexington alongside her husband. Kismet is partnered with the Burl in the Distillery District and serves a street food-esque menu with an Asian Fusion. Tonya and her husband have two daughters who are their biggest food critics. Her love for both food and her family go hand in hand because some of her best memories being young are with her grandmother in the kitchen.
6 Pappy Van Winkle Barrel-Aged Ghost Pepper Caramels
1 teaspoon cream
2 cups popped popcorn
¼ teaspoon Maldon sea salt
