Candy With An Irish Slant
What comes to mind when you hear the words "Potato Candy"? Does it conjure images of candy in the shape of a potato? Does it perhaps make you raise a brow in curiosity? If so then you dear reader are very much like a younger me. The first time I ever heard of potato candy was when I was eleven years old. My father had a gathering, at our home, of many different bands in the Montgomery area, around Christmas time. This sparked the idea to make an old family recipe. It called for a small potato, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. Fairly simple as ingredients go, but things can get complicated quickly.
It should be noted that this recipe stems from my fathers side of the family, particularly from my great grandmothers side, though it is unclear as to when it became a tradition. None the less it has those origins as well as a potentially Irish history, though this is also unclear. What is known is that it takes hours to make the 'dough' through a long process of mashing the potato, adding powered sugar, and repeat at nausea until you have something the consistency of dough. The 'Dough' is then rolled flat onto wax paper to nigh paper thinness. Then spread peanut butter, and quickly begin to roll the dough, not the paper, into a tube like shape wrap it in plastic wrap then put on a flat surface inside of a refrigerator four a few hours, or overnight if you have the time. The next step is simple cut pieces in the width of an inch, you should end up with little circles with a spiral pattern of peanut butter that are incredible sweet and easy to eat, and can be kept in a container at room temperature, though storing in the refrigerator is recommended for keeping for longer periods of time to keep the sugar from being broken down by the peanut butter. In the end this confectionate gem is a sweet treat that requires some old fashioned hard work, but I and my family find it worthwhile to see a tray of them disappear quickly during Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners to the delight of our guests. |
Ingrediants: 1 small potato
1 bag of powdered sugar 1 regular sized jar of peanut butter(can be crunchy but creamy makes things easier) Required tools: 1 large bowl 1 tool for spreading Peanut butter, either knife or plastic spatula. 1 fork 1 pan for boiling 1 Rolling Pin Wax Paper Plastic wrap Directions: Step 1. Select a singular small potato.(small for idaho spud do not use red skin potatoes) Step 2. Boil the Potato. Step 3. Remove the potatoes skin. Step 4. Mash the potato in a bowl using a fork. Step 5. Once mashed as much as possible mix in powdered sugar. Step 6. Repeat steps 4 and five until potato has consistency of dough. Step 7.Lay wax paper on flat surface and lightly coat with powdered sugar. (May help to use some objects to hold the edges down for the time being.) Step 8. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough like potato close to the width and lenfth of the sheet, about 2 feet long for a single sheet, to a paper like thinness. (If you find you find that you have to much dough take half and use it to make a second batch on another sheet.) Step 9. Spread peanut butter evenly across the length of the dough. Step 10. Quickly, and carefully, roll the dough up lenth wise. Step 11. Carefully place dough onto plastic wrap tie the ends and place on flat surface in Refrigerator for a couple hours. (overnight for best results) Step 12. Cut into half to one inch pieces Step 13. Store in airtight container with each layer seperated by wax paper. Step 14. Enjoy. |
Oooh, this stuff is super sweet, I love it, though I hate how long the dough takes to make, maybe I'll make some before the end of the year. Hmmm.. where is my apron and chefs hat?
I would like to thank my Great Grandmother Norris for trying to remember the history of this family tradition. I would also like to thank my Grandmother Lincoln for trying to fill in the blanks that my Great Grandmother could not. Love you both and thank you both for your assistance on this project.
~ Love, Aerin Below are a few links to other peoples recipes to Potato candy if you feel mine is not clear enough.
Do keep in mind they may not turn out quite the same as the ones described here on this page. This first one adds a few visual aids that may help you in your endeavor. http://www.southernplate.com/2010/12/old-fashioned-potato-candy.html http://www.food.com/recipe/potato-candy-2819 |