Weird and Regrettable Food: Irish Potato Candy

published by Arri London PhD on Mar 16, 2009

This inexpensive sweet treat isn’t the least bit Irish. White potatoes were sometimes called "Irish" potatoes, giving this candy its name. It’s a simple, fun recipe for kids to help make. Weird and regrettable or not, Irish Potato Candy is perfect for Hallowe’een or children’s parties.

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A plate of Irish potato candy

Note: This is an easy-to-make candy or sweet for children. Just have them work with clean hands.

Ingredients

2 white potatoes
about 3 cups/ 375 g of icing/confectioner’s sugar, with more for dusting
1 tsp vanilla extract/vanilla essence

Vanilla essence

1 cup/6 oz/175g peanut butter (smooth or chunky, generic works fine)

Preparation

Cook the potatoes in their jackets in salted water. Drain, peel and allow to cool. Mash or put through a ricer. Don’t add milk or butter.

Add the vanilla to the mash and enough icing sugar to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a board dusted with more icing sugar. Knead until smooth. Pat or roll into a rectangle about 1/2 inch/ 1 cm thick. Smooth the top.

Spread the peanut butter evenly over the surface of the ‘dough’. Carefully roll the dough, starting at a long edge, with the peanut butter inside. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour. Slice at least a 1/2 inch/ 1 cm thick to serve.

For more Weird and Regrettable Food, try Potato Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie or Popcorn Cake.

Peanut butter