Presenting Needhams. As Dayle put it, a “labor intensive, but highly rewarding recipe that reminds me of the holidays.” This is my first time experiencing needhams, so I guess these things will mean holiday cheer to me too. I would describe these things as a homemade cousin of Mounds. The full recipe is posted on food.com [cite your source]. If you have the time over the weekend, I highly recommend trying this one out. Be sure to have a double boiler handy though.

Mid-bite

It should be noted that this recipe halves easily.

Ingredients:

Yield: 66 candies

• 3/4 cup mashed potatoes (not seasoned)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1 lb) packages confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 (7 ounce) bags flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips
• 4 unsweetened chocolate squares
• 1/2 paraffin wax block, the same paraffin you melt to use on top jam (2 1/2 by 2 1/2)

*It should be noted there is a significant discussion going on about paraffin. Something about digestability and FDA approval? If you choose to skip that part of the instructions, you won’t be in trouble, but you will need to do something else about making the chocolate “dipable”*

Directions:

1. Pare, cook, and mash potato to make three-quarters of a cup.
2. Add salt.
3. Using double boiler place butter in it and melt over boiling water.
4. Add mashed potato, confectioners sugar, flaked coconut, and vanilla.
5. Mix well and turn into a buttered jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet) and spread evenly.
6. Place in a cool place to harden.
7. When hard, cut into small squares.
8. For the dipping chocolate, again use a double boiler.
9. Place paraffin in the top over boiling water to melt.
10. Then add the two kinds of chocolate and allow to melt.
11. Stir well to mix ingredients.
12. Dip in the chocolate mixture (with a fork, toothpick, or cake tester…or something else that would make MacGuyver proud).
13. Hold each square over the chocolate mixture after dipping so the square drains well.
14. Place on waxed paper to harden.
15. From here, I recommend a second chocolate dipping after they have cooled. More chocolate never hurt anyone, right?
16. Enjoy liberally.

Most importantly, and kind of expected if you read through the ingredient list: 22g carb per needum. Each. A bit of a bummer, but if you exercise moderation, you can make it work. YDMV.

Again, all of this, including the full nutritional breakdown can be found on food.com.