Raw Irish Potatoes (the CANDY)??

[Autumn]

For those of you familiar with "Irish Potatoes"-the cinnamon covered candies that are sold in candy shops around St. Patrick's Day: does anyone have a raw recipe for them?

If not, I'll see if I can get my mom's un-raw recipe and maybe someone could help me convert it. :D

[sport]

Dont expect any help from the Irish end of this forum because I never heard of them. sorry. Must be a US thing

[Autumn]

LOL I'm sure that's true. They are little creamy coconut candies that are rolled in cinnamon and not exactly "shaped", but made to look like a tiny potato. Melt in your mouth!

[tracyinfo]

I would suggest for the inside, to mix coconut, coconut oil and some kind of sweetener. I have made lots of delicious candy type of goodies using coconut oil. If you want to add some carob, a couple of spoonfuls will do.

For the outside, maybe you can roll the refrigerated balls through some carob and cinnamon?

Good Luck.

[Autumn]

Tracy,
Thanks for the suggestion, however, doesn't carob mimic chocolate? There is no chocolate in these candies.

[tracyinfo]

Yes, carob mimics chocolate. So, maybe that is not a good idea if the "potatoes" are not usually chocolate. What color are the insides? What color are the outsides?

[Autumn]

Inside-white
Outside-brown (cinnamon)

So it looks just like a potato-hence the name.

[Autumn]

Here's a recipe I found online (though not my mother's)

Irish Potato Candy

1/4 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package confectioners' sugar, (16 ounces)
1 package flaked coconut, (7 ounces), (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, cream
together the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the vanilla and
confectioners' sugar. With a spoon, stir in the coconut. Roll the
mixture between your hands to form small potato-shaped candies or
roll into small balls. Place the cinnamon in a shallow dish. Roll
the balls in the cinnamon, then place on a cookie sheet, cover,
and chill for about 1 hour, until firm.

Note: Make sure to use regular cream cheese, not a whipped or
reduced-fat type. And if you prefer "dirtier" potatoes, roll the
candies a second time in additional cinnamon after they've chilled.

Any ideas to replace the confectioner's sugar or cream cheese?

[Doe]

Does this sound comparable to the center? You would have to chill it for firmness before shaping and coating them with cinnamon. I don't have a vita mix. Just kept that part of the instructions from the original recipe.

§ 3 cups dry, raw shredded coconut

§ 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar

Blend the coconut in a dry blender on low speed with the lid off. Use a spatula to keep things moving until the mixture becomes the consistency of butter. Make sure you do not blend so long that you separate all the oil from the coconut. This step is tricky, and takes a good blender like a Vita-Mix. If you don't have a Vita-Mix, you can still blend, although you may need to separate the coconut into 2 batches.

Remove the coconut and put in a mixing bowl. Add the sweetener. Use a spatula to mix well.

[sweetgoddess]

How weird Autumn. I am Irish, my family is from Ireland and I have never heard of these things. I have never seen anybody eat them on St Patrick's Day! Where have I been?:p

[Autumn]

Wow, really? I had them every year as a young child to my late 20's. We not only made them, but they were in every candy store around St. Pat's Day. I never looked for them here in AL, but it's not exactly a cultural mecca, so I doubt they have them anywhere. I am really excited about making a raw version!

[Autumn]

Doe, thanks so much for the ideas!!! I am going to work on this, tinker here and there and will let you and everyone know the results!

*putting on chef hat* :D

[Rawkinlocs]

someone here said that dehydrating and then grinding the dry jicama makes like a powdered sugar (it's just a little less sweet). So that could take the place of the confectioner's sugar in the recipe.

I'm thinking for the "butter" some hardened coconut oil or maybe avocado with a little coconut oil added. I think RP mentioned a butter recipe of hers once somewhere too.

[Sharon in Colorado]

You could sub dates for the butter & cream cheese

[Autumn]

I tried tinkering with this once and it didn't come out too well. I plan to try again this weekend and will report my results. Again, thank you to all who made suggestions! :D

I have not yet gotten my mother's recipe since my parents have been at their beach house for weeks (and the recipe is at their other home!)

[Doe]

Autumn,

There are now little candy potatoes in my freezer.

How many times have I eaten nuts lately? Too many! I am now addicted to nuts and could not wait for you to figure this out or for the coconut oil either one, so here is my version. If we were within an hour, even two, of eachother I'd bring you some to get your opinion. Here it is. I like it.





Blend till buttery smooth:


2 cups macadamia nuts, soaked a few hours
1/3 cup honey
juice of 1 small lemon (I did this to cut the sweet)
1 tsp vanilla
Stir in till cookie dough consistency:

2 cups? coconut (didn't measure)
Roll teaspoonfuls of candy in ground cinnamon making them longer than wide.





Hope they are what you was looking for.

Teri S


PS......... 3 people have tried them and all love them. Thanks yor the idea Autumn.

[Doe]

These are even better today. They taste like stiff mounds bars coated in pure cinnamon instead of chocolate. Even my neighbor likes them.

Teri S

[Autumn]

Teri,
You're a love. I've been too miserably hot to even go shopping for the ingredients I wanted to try this weekend. Today, with the heat index, it was 118. Tomorrow-124. :mad:

As soon as I can stand it I will try your recipe. My mom isn't due back for another week or so, so I couldn't get the recipe from her to convert. But I'm sure yours are excellent and I will try them very soon!! From what you are describing, it sounds like you hit the nail on the head! My mouth is nearly watering to taste them!

[Dawn39]

Wow, really? I had them every year as a young child to my late 20's. We not only made them, but they were in every candy store around St. Pat's Day. I never looked for them here in AL, but it's not exactly a cultural mecca, so I doubt they have them anywhere. I am really excited about making a raw version!


I have an Irish background.I grew up near PA's Amish country. Could this be Penn. Dutch or an Amish Recipe???????? This is the home of the pretzel & potatoe chip. My family used mashed potatoes, peanut butter, confect. sugar. This was used during Christmas and extra batches were used as gifts.
I tried finding the history and Found Argentina has a recipe as well.
best Wishes
Dawn

[Autumn]

I have an Irish background.I grew up near PA's Amish country. Could this be Penn. Dutch or an Amish Recipe???????? This is the home of the pretzel & potatoe chip. My family used mashed potatoes, peanut butter, confect. sugar. This was used during Christmas and extra batches were used as gifts.
I tried finding the history and Found Argentina has a recipe as well.
best Wishes
Dawn

Dawn,
No, it's a candy. I do know about the potatoes you are describing as well, but what I'm referring to has nothing to do with actual potatoes. I grew up in Delaware County, BTW. I spent many a weekend in Lancaster. :D

[Dawn39]

Dawn,
No, it's a candy. I do know about the potatoes you are describing as well, but what I'm referring to has nothing to do with actual potatoes. I grew up in Delaware County, BTW. I spent many a weekend in Lancaster. :D

The recipe I added is more like a fudge , I'll try & convert it raw