Irish Potato Candy

I have no idea whether or not this is a traditional recipe. When H-Bomb brought home his homework this week, there was a note to us parents telling us that the second grade would be having an International Fair on Friday (this Friday!) and asking us to send something to share about our family heritage or culture.

Although I am of mostly Irish decent, all I really know how to make is Corned Beef & Cabbage. Not exactly a favorite of 2nd graders. H-Bomb suggested I make my Artisan Bread for his class, "because I love it" he said. Until I ran across this recipe for Potato Candy, and H-Bomb and I decided it sounded good, and he thought it was funny that you use cocoa to make the candy look dirty. He will use the potato-shaped candy to illustrate the story of the potato famine which brought many of our ancestors to North America.

Unfortunately I did have to leave out the Irish whiskey, since I'm sending it to a classroom full of second graders. And mostly Mormon second graders at that! I also had to leave out the nuts due to nut allergies.


H-Bomb reported that his classmates liked the candy! It actually tastes quite good.


Irish Potato Candy
This is a no-bake coconut and cream cheese confection shaped by hand to look just like a potato!

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 package cream cheese (use 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
chopped nuts
cocoa

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla, whiskey and confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth.

Mix in the coconut (use hands if necessary) Roll into potato shapes. Roll each "potato" in cinnamon to coat, then press in pieces of chopped nuts to look like eyes. Dust with cocoa to simulate dirt.Place onto a cookie sheet and chill to set.