Sweet ‘Irish Potatoes’

DEAR SOS: I’ve heard about “Irish potatoes” but I can’t find them in any store. Can you tell me what the characteristics of this kind of potato are and where I can buy them? Thank you.

MAJA UMBRICHT

Via E-mail

DEAR MAJA: Are you talking about Irish potato candies, also called “Easter eggs”? Here’s a recipe for them from the Web site Allrecipes.com. If you’re talking about an actual potato, we know them as russet potatoes.

Grandmom’s Irish Potatoes

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes plus 30 minutes cooling

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

About 2 tablespoons minced walnuts, for garnish

Cocoa powder, optional

Combine the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, cream of tartar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 234 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes. (A few drops will form a soft ball when dropped into cold water.)

Remove the mixture from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the vanilla and beat until creamy and stiff. Roll the mixture into balls shaped like little potatoes, about 1 1/2 inches long. Roll each ball in the cinnamon to coat, then press in pieces of nuts to look like eyes. You can also dust the potatoes with cocoa to simulate dirt.

24 candies. Each candy: 62 calories; 35 mg sodium; 3 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.31 gram fiber.