What are Irish potatoes?
Part of our Ultimate Guide to World Cuisine. Click to see more answers to your questions.
Irish potatoes have been an important food crop in Ireland for hundreds of years, but they are not actually native to Ireland.
They are a popular ingredient in traditional Irish dishes like colcannon (a dish made with mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale) and boxty (a type of potato pancake). Irish potatoes are excellent for mashing and frying and are widely associated with Irish cuisine, often used in dishes such as stews, soups, and casseroles.
“Irish potatoes” can also refer to a candy shaped to resemble small potatoes, typically made from a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut, and cocoa powder and cinnamon. These are popular around St. Patrick’s Day in the United States and other countries, but they are not related to the actual potato crop.
Easy recipe for homemade Chocolate Irish Potatoes:
Ingredients:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- Cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined.
- Stir in the shredded coconut until the mixture is thick and sticky.
- Using your hands, roll the mixture into small balls, about the size of a small potato.
- Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, remove the balls from the fridge and dust them generously with cinnamon to resemble potatoes.
- Store the Chocolate Irish Potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
