Everyone in Aroostook has, at one time or another, made Potato Candy. This one is a bit different in that it is not coated with chocolate and it contains coconut.
POTATO CANDY
1/4 cup hot mashed potato
1 teaspoon melted butter
1 and 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 and 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the potatoes and butter in a bowl. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Add the coconut, salt, orange or lemon rind and the vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until firm. This makes about 2 dozen. These Kentucky Colonels are quite powerful candies, the name coming from the bourbon, a popular drink in the South. So rich that you don’t have to worry about eating too many of them!
KENTUCKY COLONELS
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons bourbon
7 and 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 small (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 Tablespoon melted paraffin
Extra pecan halves
Mix together the butter, sweetened condensed milk and bourbon in a large mixing bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar and knead until the mixture is well blended and does not stick to your hands. Knead in the chopped pecans. Shape into 1-inch balls. Combine the chocolate morsels and the melted paraffin in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Using a toothpick, dip each ball of candy into the chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper. Remove the toothpick and gently press a pecan half on each. This will make about 6 dozen and they are delicious.
If someone sent you a big box of shelled pecans for Christmas, and you have already opened it, you might want to make another southern candy, Pralines. Always a southern specialty they are truly simple to make.
PRALINES
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups broken pecans
Mix together, in a heavy 5-quart saucepan, the buttermilk and the baking soda. Add the sugar and the butter, corn syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, cook and stir constantly, until the mixture reaches soft ball stage (236 degrees). Remove from the heat and let stand until the mixture is lukewarm (110 degrees.). Do not stir. Add the vanilla and the pecans to the mixture and beat until the mixture begins to thicken and loses its gloss. Drop by Tablespoonfuls onto a lightly buttered baking sheet or waxed paper. Let stand until firm. Store in an airtight container. This makes about 18 pralines.
