Description
A delightful twist on the classic French dessert, Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée blends the creamy richness of traditional crème brûlée with the natural sweetness and warm spices of roasted sweet potatoes. Perfect for a comforting dessert that adds a seasonal touch to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato (roasted or canned)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- Granulated sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for baking the custards gently and evenly.
- Heat cream and mix yolks: In a saucepan, warm the heavy cream until it is just steaming but not boiling. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mashed sweet potato until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine mixtures: Slowly pour the warm cream into the sweet potato and egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking prematurely and ensuring a smooth custard base.
- Strain and prepare ramekins: Strain the custard mixture through a fine sieve into a pitcher or bowl, then pour it evenly into ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and add hot water to the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins, creating a water bath to bake the custards evenly.
- Bake the custard: Bake the ramekins in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custards are just set but still slightly jiggly in the center. After baking, remove from the water bath and cool, then chill the custards in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set completely.
- Caramelize topping: Before serving, sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar on top of each chilled custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar by heating it until it melts and forms a golden, crackly crust, the hallmark texture of crème brûlée.
Notes
- Roasting your own sweet potatoes intensifies flavor compared to canned.
- Be careful not to overheat the cream to avoid curdling the eggs.
- Using a water bath ensures the custards bake evenly with a smooth texture.
- Let the custards chill fully for at least 2 hours to set properly before torching.
- A kitchen torch is ideal for caramelizing sugar; alternatively, use the broiler but watch closely.
