Sandy Oliver's Needhams | News

SANDY OLIVER'S NEEDHAMS

Sandy Oliver will take part in a History of Chocolate Presentation & Tasting put on by Freeport Historical Society on Sunday, February 10th, 3:00pm at Old Town Hall on Park Street in Freeport. Oliver, a food historian and author will present a lively and fascinating romp through America's cooking past as she shares how chocolate was gradually incorporated into American cookery. Tickets are $10 per person. Reservations are recommended. This event sold-out in 2012.

For more information on Sandy Oliver's book, "Maine Home Cooking" click here: MAINE HOME COOKING

For more information about Freeport Historical Society click here: FREEPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Sandy Oliver's Needhams
¾ cup mashed potato (unseasoned)
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter or margarine
2 pounds of confectioners' sugar
½ pound of flaked coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
Add salt to the mashed potatoes, and melt the butter in a double boiler over boiling water. Add the potatoes, sugar, coconut and vanilla. Mix well and spread in a buttered jelly roll pan (about half an inch thick.) Cool thoroughly until hard and then cut into small squares.

Chocolate Coating with Paraffin
12 ounces of chocolate chips
4 one-ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
½ cake paraffin (two and a half by two and a half inches)
In the top of the double boiler melt the paraffin, then add the two chocolates. Stir well. Dip the squares in the chocolate, allowing them to finish dripping before placing on waxed paper to harden.

Chocolate Ganache
16 ounces of chocolate chips or chocolate with high fat content, chopped
Heavy cream
In a double boiler over but not in hot water, melt about half of the chocolate gradually. Do not let it get very hot. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the chocolate bits, and allow them to soften before you stir the mixture. If it seems stiff, put it back over the hot water, and dribble in a little cream, stirring gently until it is smooth and glossy. Brush generously onto the cooled potato and coconut mixture. Let cool, and cut into pieces. Or dip pieces of the candy into the Ganache with a fork, lift and let cool on a rack.