There was a point in time where I was only eating plant-based raw foods but I still had the sweet tooth I inherited from my mother (who just so happens to be 100% Irish). I converted all of my favorite foods and desserts into a raw food version and that is when I came up with this recipe for Irish potato candies. Irish potato candies were actually invented by Irish immigrants in Philadelphia. This version contains cashews and dates and they are gluten-free, dairy free and also free of refined sugar. It almost feels wrong to call them candies because they are so healthy. The combination of cashews and dates contains many minerals and vitamins like copper, magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin E.
The cashews and lemon juice create the cream cheese flavor that you will need for this recipe. Normally when I make cashew cream cheese to spread on our bagels I will soak the cashews before using them but with this recipe that would just turn into one big gloppy mess. The main goal is to be able to mold them into little potatoes and roll them in the cinnamon powder so I’ve found using dry cashews in a food processor works just fine. Make sure your cashews are raw and unsalted or it will affect the flavor in a not so good way. You will want to use dates that are on the softer side and not dried out so they will help the all of the ingredients to stick together.
Irish Potato Candies
1 cup raw unsalted cashews
5 dates
½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup finely shredded coconut
2½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
A few tablespoons of dried cinnamon powder
First, add the cashews, dates and sea salt to a food processor. Blend until the dates are small bits and the cashews are ground well. Next add the shredded coconut, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Process until it forms a mixture you can mold with your hands. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder on a plate. Take about 1-1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a potato shape with your hands. Next roll the ‘potato’ in the cinnamon until covered. Optional: take a toothpick and prick the surface all around the ‘potato’ to make it look like it has lenticels aka the little dots that look like pores on a potato. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper and pop them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them. Sláinte!
