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Needhams Candy

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Girl vs Dough
Updated Mar 8, 2017
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Chocolate-coated coconut candy made with a secret ingredient -- mashed potatoes.

More About This Recipe

  • I have a need. A need for Needhams. Have any of you ever heard of needhams before? Chances are high that if you’re from the east coast where they originated, you have. Being a dyed-in-the-wool Midwesterner myself, I’d never had the pleasure of trying (or even knowing about) needhams before until someone told me about this amazing little candy that tastes a lot like a Mounds bar but is made with mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes! I was intrigued. In just a couple hours, I had these delicious, chocolate-coated, potato-and-coconut-filled candies in my own kitchen (and promptly thereafter in my mouth, of course). And I plan on having them on hand for dessert on a certain holiday coming up in a few days… and probably every day henceforth. They’re too good to not have around. Serve and enjoy! And marvel at the wonder that is a mashed potato candy!

Needhams Candy

  • Prep Time 10 min
  • Total 2 hr 0 min
  • Servings 20
  • Ingredients 8
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups powdered confectioner's sugar
  • 1/4 cup smooth, plain mashed potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 pound bittersweet baking chocolate squares
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Pour confectioner's sugar in a medium saucepan and make a deep well in the center. Add potatoes, butter, vanilla and salt to the well and place saucepan over a large saucepan filled with water that's just about to simmer.
  • Step 
    2
    Stir mixture with a spatula, gradually adding confectioner's sugar to the mix, until all ingredients are incorporated and melted together into a smooth paste, takes about 5 minutes.
  • Step 
    3
    Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Shape dough into a ball, then press into a 4-by-5-inch rectangle on a baking sheet or plate. Place in freezer to firm, 20 minutes.
  • Step 
    4
    Remove baking sheet from freezer and cut rectangle into 20 one-inch squares. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and return to freezer to firm, for 20 minutes.
  • Step 
    5
    Meanwhile, make your chocolate coating: In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt chocolate squares into a smooth sauce. Whisk in shortening and stir until completely mixed in, about a minute.
  • Step 
    6
    Place a silicone mat or sheet of wax paper on a clean baking sheet and set aside.
  • Step 
    7
    Remove squares from freezer and, using a fork, submerge one square at a time into the chocolate coating. Tap off excess chocolate and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all squares are fully coated in chocolate.
  • Step 
    8
    Place squares on baking sheet in refrigerator to set, about 1 hour.

Nutrition

No nutrition information available for this recipe
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