DIY Easter Candy

DIY EASTER CANDY

Skip store bought candy this Easter. Form your own fondant eggs and roll them in pretty, pastel colored sugar. Give this easy, DIY Easter candy a try!

Becky Low, with Dairy Farmers of Utah, says this homemade Easter candy is kid-friendly, too!


Move over store bought candies – now we have make-it-yourself Easter Pastels. Today’s recipe is an Easter version of Irish Potato Candy – which is not from Ireland and does not contain potatoes. For over a 100 years Irish Potato Candy, a Philadelphia confection, has been made for St. Patrick’s Day. Oh Ryan’s, a Pennsylvania based company, makes over 88,000 pounds of this simple confection which is rolled in cinnamon to make it look like potatoes (thus the name). Now this simple candy becomes a simple Easter Candy you will enjoy making with you children – in pastels for Easter!

First – start with a base even the kids will enjoy making – it’s like playing with playdoh.

– The base is a simple uncooked fondant (powdered sugar, cream cheese and butter)

– To the base add coconut for body, flavor and texture. If you like, partially chop the shredded coconut in a food processor for a finer texture (caution, don’t overdo the processing)

– The mixture is stiff so get in there and use your (clean) hands to mix it up – or use the cookie dough attachment on a stand mixer

– Roll the base into Robin egg size balls. I find it easier to portion out and roll all the candy before dipping in sugar (less messy hands).

Second – mix up your flavors. There are a plethora of flavoring extracts on the market, be adventurous

– (Note: It is easier to add the flavor at the same time you add the powdered sugar in the recipe)

– Use your imagination for this step. I like almond and coconut combination

– Try lemon extract with a little lemon zest – or orange extract with orange zest

– Other great flavors include raspberries, cherry, pineapple, etc (you could even use plain old vanilla)

Third – Easter needs color – lots of pastel colors

– If you prefer you may purchase colored sugar from store, but be aware the cost is higher than making it at home.

– Mix your own colored sugar, it’s cheaper and a very easy route. All you need is a little sugar and add food color a drop or two at a time and mix well. I like paste food colors over water based food colors but either works fine.

– Start with the primary colors Red Yellow and Blue. From this you can make a variety of colors like purple, green, orange – and every hue you like.

Here a way to make this candy healthier.

For many recipes we can substitute low-fat or non-fat dairy ingredients – same nutrients, less fat, great same cooking qualities. But for this recipe it works best with the regular cream cheese. For health, enjoy nutrient rich low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese and treat candy as candy. Candy is a treat and not as a mainstay of our diet. A serving size for this recipe is 1-2 candies.

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