Guest Author - Katherine Tomlinson
When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, you think of corned beef and cabbage, lamb stew and soda bread, or colcannon, the buttery mash-up of potatoes and cabbage that’s been a staple of Irish kitchens for centuries. You probably don’t think of candy, but mashed Irish potatoes make a great base for an easy and delectable fondant-style fudge.
There’s minimal cooking involved—if you consider melting ingredients in a microwave to be “cooking”—and the result is as tasty as any candy shop confection.
Below are two variations on a theme.
Mashed Potato Fudge Recipe
Note: Leftover mashed potatoes work fine as long as they’re not garlic mashed potatoes.
1 large potato
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
½ stick butter (unsalted)
4 ½ cups (or more) confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash salt (if using leftover potatoes, leave out the salt)
½ cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
Peel the potato, cut into chunks and boil until soft.
Mash the potato. You should have 2/3 cup of mashed potato more or less.
Melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat or in a microwavable dish with the oven set on low.
Combine the butter/chocolate mixture with the potato, salt and vanilla. Stir in the confectioner’s sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth. (Add more sugar if it isn’t firming up.)
Spread the candy into a 9 x 9 pan that’s been buttered or treated with non-stick cooking spray.
Cool and cut into squares or diamonds.
Chocolate Coconut Potato Candy
This version of potato candy produces about five dozen yummy little chocolate-covered balls of goodness that will remind you of Mounds bars.
¾ cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 pkg. confectioners’ sugar
4 7-ounce packages of flaked coconut (about four cups)
1 tsp. almond extract
Mix all ingredients and form into balls on a cookie sheet covered by waxed paper.
Chill for an hour or until firm.
Chocolate Coating
1 pkg. chocolate fudge frosting
2 Tbsp. softened butter (unsalted)
3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
Combine all ingredients in a double boiler and stir over low heat until combined.
Dip the coconut balls into the chocolate. (Keep the coating over simmering water so it doesn’t get to thick.) Cool the coated candy on a wire rack, and then transfer to the fridge to chill until firm.
