Retro Marshmallow Roll

Only a few more days left until Christmas......I can hardly wait for the break.  Although work has been a little less busy due to the fact that most of my customers are winding down and taking holidays now....my spare time has been filled with baking and knitting.  I just finished making my third batch of Ginger Sparkles, a batch of Buckwheat Cocoa Nib Shortbread cookies and also a batch of chocolate cheesecake cupcakes. (All of these I highly recommend as some of my favourites!!)  Last night to add some variety to the baking assortment, I made a marshmallow roll that my mom and grandmother used to make each and every Christmas.  It is unbaked and all is held together with a can of sweetened condensed milk.  I really loved this slice as a kid and it tastes exactly like I remember it.  The original recipe was printed on the back of the Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk label back in the 1940's. (The original recipe called for dates rather than festive cherries....but I like the colour that the cherries bring.)  I was prompted to make it after finding recipes online for Lolly Slice which is very much along the same lines with only very minor differences.  So if you've made Lolly Slice and like that sort of thing......you may like this as well.  Go ahead and try it....it'll take you 10 minutes:)  Feel free to make a 1/2 a batch if it seems like too much....that's what I did....but I think I'll be making the other half quite soon.

Marshmallow Roll
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup water
400g package of graham wafer crumbs (malt biscuits would be a very close substitute)
400g package of mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 cups glaced cherries red or green or both
1/2 cup dessicated coconut (optional)
Mix all except the coconut in a mixing bowl until well mixed.  (The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of water to be added in with the milk, but my mother has never made it that way, so I add the water as I am mixing if it needs it.....and this time I did add about 1/4 cup)  Mix with your hands, wetting your hands frequently to stop it from sticking too much to them.   Divide the mixture into five equal amounts and shape into rolls or logs about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  I then rolled mine in the coconut because I think it looks prettier, and wrap in wax paper.  Keep in the fridge for several hour so that they firm up.  Unwrap and slice in 1/4 inch slices as you need them.