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1
Finely crush the vanilla wafers.
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2
(Put half in a gallon ziplock baggie.
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3
Close.
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4
Crush with a rolling pin.
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5
Empty into bowl.
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6
Repeat with second half.
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7
).
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8
Crush the almonds with your hand, just making a fist with them, if you don't mind some larger pieces getting through.
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9
Otherwise, chop them finely.
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10
Using a mortar and pestle (or a plate and the back of a soup spoon), crush the saffron threads to a powder.
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11
Combine vanilla wafers, confectioners sugar, honey, almonds, sherry, saffron, and 1/4 teaspoons ancho chili powder.
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12
If necessary, add another tablespoon or two of the sherry to make confection easy to mold.
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13
(If you live somewhere humid, you might want to make that original 1/2 cup of sherry a *scant* cup until you see if you need the whole 1/2 cup.
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14
You can always add more liquid.
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15
You can't take it out.
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16
).
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17
Roll into one-inch balls.
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18
Combine cocoa, cinnamon and 1 teaspoons ancho chili powder.
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19
Put in a pie plate.
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20
Roll the balls in this; create a thick cocoa layer from it.
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21
Put them in paper candy cups.
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22
If desired, the balls can have confectioner's sugar or cayenne pepper sprinkled on the top.
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23
The former is good for contrast, the latter is good for those who like heat.
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24
If using the cayenne pepper, press it lightly into the cocoa powder so that it doesn't fall straight off.
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25
Do not touch your eyes with those fingers.
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26
Put in an airtight container and let rest for about a day in order to meld flavors.
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27
While they are okay/good right after they are made, they are much better the following day.
