This is a great recipe from my childhood. To be honest, I was less than enthusiastic when my mother first suggested making potato candy. I love potatoes - baked, fried, mashed and scalloped....but candy? I was positive the experiment would end in failure. I couldn't have been more wrong.One of the great things about this recipe is its inexpensive versatility. If you want a stiff, sculpture like dough then add more sugar. If you want a sweet glue to hold that gingerbread house together, use less sugar. You can create as many flavors as you like - you are only limited by the amount of flavor extracts you have. And the colors are equally endless.
Word of warning though: one small potato will make a lot of dough.
Things you will need:
1 - 1 1/2 lbs confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp milk
Flavor extract
Food coloring
While the potato is still hot, mash it with a fork. Add about 1/2 cup of the sugar and continue to mash. The batter will turn to liquid. Add the milk, flavoring and food coloring and mix thoroughly. Continue adding sugar until the mixture reaches the stage you need for your project. For dough consistency, sprinkle sugar on a flat surface and knead the dough and add your sugar a little at a time.
For my candy hearts I added peppermint extract and green food coloring. After rolling out the dough and cutting out the shapes, I put the hearts on a parchment lined tray and allowed them to dry a little. Once they had hardened slightly, I frosted one side with melted dark chocolate and added sprinkles.
© 2013 E. Stilson-Ouderkirk