Irish Potato Candy

Announcing a new feature : FOOD IMPOSTERS! I have long had a fascination with foods that are meant to look like other foods. As I was mulling this over today, someone offered me a candy called an Irish Potato. This is a no-bake coconut and cream cheese confection that is rolled in cinnamon and shaped by hand. Faith and begorah if it doesn't look like a wee spud!

IRISH POTATO CANDY
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. 2. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth.
3. Using your hands if necessary, mix in the coconut.
4. Roll into balls or potato shapes, and roll in the cinnamon.
5. Place onto a cookie sheet and chill to set.
6. If desired, roll potatoes in cinnamon again for darker color.

Enjoy the complexity of this experience. Once you adjust your brain to the idea that this is candy, then you begin to expect marzipan. What a surprise to find the coconutty goodness inside. And it's not overly sweet, either.

The Soup Lady regrets to announce that the panel of judges is becoming very uncooperative. Maybe I can lure them back into the test kitchens with this one. (Note: While doing research for this entry, I came across some recipes that included real mashed potatos in the ingredients, but who the hell wants to eat that? That is not the point, anyway.)

Comments

[Tammy]

I use this same recipe for easter every year. It's allways a big hit!!!!!!!!