Get the Recipe: Fifteens
A classic Irish sweet treat, Fifteens are so named because they contain 15 each of digestive cookies, glacé cherries and marshmallows. Sweetened condensed milk binds it all together.
Ingredients
- 15 Digestive biscuits, crushed
- 15 glacé cherries aka candied cherries, halved *see Note 1 below
- 15 large marsmallows, quartered *see Note 2 below
- 3/4 cup + 1 - 2 Tablespoons (200 ml) sweetened condensed milk, approximately
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) desiccated coconut, *see Note 3 below
Instructions
- Start by crushing the Digestive cookies. You can do this in a food processor or add to a plastic zipper bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. I like to leave just a bit of texture to the crumbs rather than completely crushing them, but you can go either way.
- Add the crushed cookies to a medium bowl. Add the halved glacé cherries and the marshmallows and stir together.
- Measure out the sweetened condensed milk. Add about 2/3-3/4 of the condensed milk to the bowl and stir together. Add as much of the remaining sweetened condensed milk as needed to just moisten all the crumbs. You may not need to use quite all of it. There shouldn't be any dry crumbs hanging out in the bottom of the bowl.
- Tip! Refer to the step-by-step photos above this Recipe Card if any of the instructions for rolling the log aren't clear to you.
- Place an 18-24 inch long piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Sprinkle an even layer of coconut in a thin line in the middle of the plastic wrap, about 12 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. Spoon the cookie mixture on top of the coconut in a long line about 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Sprinkle more coconut evenly over the top of the cookie mixture. Fold the side of the plastic wrap over the cookie mixture and use your hands to shape and roll the cookie mixture into an even log, adding additional coconut if needed to coat all the sides of the log. Don't stress over it too much. The shape doesn't need to be perfect. You can re-shape it as needed once chilled. When the log is shaped and wrapped, twist the ends of the plastic to seal well and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours. (I found the flavour improved as they chilled, so it's fine to let them chill a little longer or overnight before slicing.)
- Remove the chilled log from the fridge and slice it into 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Place the slices into an airtight container and refrigerate. The slices will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- The cookie log or the slices will also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Notes
Note 1: Glacé cherries (aka "candied cherries") are usually found in the baking section of grocery stores. They are quite common in Canada. You can also find them at the Bulk Barn in Canada. If you can't find glacé cherries in a pinch, you could try maraschino cherries, but be sure to dry them off well before using them.
Note 2: You can use 15 large marshmallows or about 80 mini marshmallows. Use just white marshmallows, or mix in some pink marshmallows, as well. If you buy a bag of coloured mini marshmallows, you will have both the white and the pink marshmallows to use.
Note 3: Desiccated coconut is most traditionally use to coat Fifteens, but you can use what you have on hand. I used medium coconut here. The smaller the flake the better.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe. You'll find substitution suggestions, more tips and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 91mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 32IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 1mg
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