Help with Needhams (wax question)

[Bon Bon]

Hi all,

I'm making Needhams today for DH (or am attempting to). They are his favorite and I've been unable to find them so I decided to make them myself. I finally found a good recipe. Although I'm having some trouble with the chocolate coating. It calls for 1/2 cake of paraffin wax but I couldn't find it anywhere! At our local grocery store they told me that they don't make it that way anymore and she sold me a box of wax granules. The box says it is for canning and candlemaking. This doesn't sound right. Is it? If so, how much of the granules should I use to equal 1/2 cake of paraffin?

Thank you!

Bon Bon

 

[piratesmate]

My recipe calls for 1/4 cake of paraffin (to 2 large pkg of chocolate chips), but I rarely used that much - nor did the friend who gave me the recipe. I'm not sure how the granules equate to the bar, but I just used a potato peeler along the side of the bar/cake to put some in. I really didn't add much.

This statement, which is part of my recipe might help you...
[NOTE: Parafin makes the chocolate runny enough to coat the balls easily. Not required, but makes a much nicer end product.]

I just added some until I saw a difference in the consistency of the chocolate. Try dipping a spoon in it & see if it kind of "sheets" off the spoon or "blobs" off. Does that make any sense? If it "sheets" you've added enough.

HTH! Good luck!

 

[pumba]

our store in town that made them all the time and were noted for them closed their doors this past year .....so the stores are out of needhams.........THe company was Called Lou Rods candy. But BON BON I heard that Marys Candy shop in town has them now to sell. They started to make them again when Lou Rods closed. Hope this helps....
and I saw parafin wax the other day and I can't remember where I saw it.....will let you know......
HUGS BON BON

 

[Bon Bon]

I've got the Needham's cooling. Little Katie's face is full of powdered sugar.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome. The tips about how the chocolate should look is a GREAT help! Once they cool, I'll do the chocolate.

PUMBA, if they come out good, I'll bring you some! It'll be a couple days though before we can get out the door! Boy the snows sure piling up!

Bon Bon

 

[piratesmate]

I've got the Needham's cooling. Little Katie's face is full of powdered sugar. .....

Ummmm, they're cooling? Your recipe must be different than mine, although the chocolate dipping should be the same. Would you mind sharing yours? Here's mine...

Peanut Butter Balls aka Buckeyes or Needhams

3 lb confectioner’s sugar
1 lb butter/margarine, melted
2 lb peanut butter
2 pkg chocolate chips (large pkgs)
¼ bar paraffin, grated

Mix together sugar, butter & peanut butter; work with hands. Roll into balls. Melt chips in double boiler adding paraffin. Dip balls in chocolate. Freeze until firm.
[NOTE: Parafin makes the chocolate runny enough to coat the balls easily. Not required, but makes a much nicer end product.]

 

[Bon Bon]

Here is my recipe taken out of my all-time favorite cookbook -
Marjorie Standish "Cooking Down East". Don't know how I missed the Needhams recipe, except I'm always making the seafood recipes, not the desserts.

NEEDHAMS WITH CHOCOLATE DIP

3/4 cup mashed potato
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/4 lb. butter
1/2 lb. flaked coconut
2 tsps. vanilla

Pare and cook the potatoes to make 3/4 cup. In a double boiler on top of the stove, melt the butter over boiling water. Add the mashed potato, powdered sugar, flaked coconut and vanilla.

Mix well. Spread the mixture evenly in a buttered cookie sheet. Place in a cool place to harden - a cool garage or back porch in the winter works well. When hard, cut the mixture into small squares and dip in the chocolate mixture.

CHOCOLATE DIP

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cake paraffin wax

Melt the paraffin in the bowl of the double boiler. add the chocolates and melt. Stir well. Dip the needham squares in the chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden. Makes 66 good-sized needhams. The recipe may be cut in half.

 

[pumba]

Needham's Candy: Peel and cook enough potatoes to yield 2/3 to 1 cup when mashed. Mash well but do not season or add milk. To hot potatoes add 1 tsp vanilla, 2 boxes (1 lb. ea.) confectioner sugar, dash salt, and a large bag of coconut. Mix well and spread evenly in a 9X13 pan or on a cookie sheet that has been lightly greased. Chill.
Chop 4 oz of unsweetened chocolate and 2 oz of semisweet. You can use chocolate chips for the semi sweet. Add a 1/2 a bar of chopped paraffin wax (yep, really). This is the kind of wax you use to seal the tops of jelly and jam jars. Melt this mix in a double boiler or microwave, mixing well. Cut the potato mix into 2 inch squares. Use toothpicks or a small fork (better for klutzes) to dip the squares in the chocolate mix.
Put the dipped squares on wax paper to set up. Store in an air tight container in a cool spot. Enjoy!

 

[piratesmate]

Thanks to both of you! I have no clue where my friend got the idea that her p/b balls were "aka Needhams"! That recipe sounds an awful lot like my great-great aunt's potato candy recipe. She varied what went into it....sometimes coconut, sometimes mint, etc....but the amounts & directions are very close to the rest of it.

I'm so tempted to make some for the next time my blood sugar gets low! (I'm diabetic & rarely make such treats for the family. )

 

[wenbel]

You can still get bars (cakes) of paraffin wax in the stores. I use it for my chocolates recipes. Did you try Hannaford's? Super Wal-mart? I think it is with canning supplies.

 

[Bon Bon]

wenbel, I went to Shaw's. I'll try Hannaford to stock up when the weather improves. We don't have one in our town. Thank you!

 

[Limmer]

This maybe wrong but are you only trying to get the chocolate to harden and be glossy? If so you can use Crisco. When I am coating strawberries I use 1 pkg of chocolate chips and 1 tbsp of Crisco. It makes the chocolate harden with a sheen.
Otherwise please discard this post because I have never heard of Needhams and have no idea what they are supposed to look like.

 

[Bon Bon]

Hi Lynn,

That's exactly what I was trying to do. I've never heard of the Crisco thing. Thanks for the great tip, I'll have to try that!

BTW all, the Needhams came out great. DH was tickled that his girls make them for him.