Needhams Candy

Name: Needhams Candy
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 20
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

6 Ratings

3 Comments

Prep 10 min
Total 2 hr 0 min
Servings 20

Chocolate-coated coconut candy made with a secret ingredient -- mashed potatoes. MORE+ LESS-

By Girl Versus Dough

Updated March 8, 2017

Ingredients

cups powdered confectioner's sugar

1/4

cup smooth, plain mashed potatoes

tablespoon unsalted butter

teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch salt

3/4

cup sweetened shredded coconut

pound bittersweet baking chocolate squares

1 1/2

tablespoons vegetable shortening

Steps

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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
6

Place a silicone mat or sheet of wax paper on a clean baking sheet and set aside.
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.
8

Place squares on baking sheet in refrigerator to set, about 1 hour.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

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!