Description
This Japanese Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée is a delightful fusion dessert combining the creamy custard texture of traditional crème brûlée with the naturally sweet, velvety flavor of roasted Japanese sweet potatoes. Roasted to tender perfection, the sweet potatoes are filled with a rich custard made from egg yolks, milk, and sugar, then topped with a crisp caramelized sugar crust for a decadent finish. Perfect as an impressive yet comforting dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 7 medium Japanese sweet potatoes
Custard Filling
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks (omega-3 enriched recommended)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 cups milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramelized Topping
- ¼ cup sugar (caster or granulated) for caramelizing
Instructions
- Roast Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C). Wrap each Japanese sweet potato individually in foil and place them on a baking tray. Roast in the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Prepare Custard Base: While the sweet potatoes roast, combine ⅔ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, and ¼ tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually add 3 cups of milk while whisking continuously to dissolve any lumps. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens into a smooth custard base.
- Temper Egg Yolks: Lightly beat the 3 egg yolks in a separate bowl. Slowly add about ¼ cup of the hot custard mixture to the yolks while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Cook Custard: Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining custard base. Cook over medium heat for an additional 2 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened to a creamy consistency.
- Add Butter and Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Cool Custard: Transfer the custard into a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let the custard cool to room temperature.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Once roasted sweet potatoes have cooled for about 10 minutes, carefully cut off the top third of each sweet potato. Scoop out about one-third of the flesh from each, creating a cavity to fill with custard.
- Fill with Custard: Evenly spoon the cooled custard filling into the hollowed sweet potatoes, filling them to the top.
- Add Sugar Topping: Sprinkle approximately 1 teaspoon of sugar evenly over the custard-filled sweet potatoes.
- Caramelize Sugar: Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the sugar on top until it melts and turns a dark amber color with bubbling. Allow the caramelized sugar to harden before serving for a crisp brûlée crust.
Notes
- Using omega-3 enriched egg yolks enhances the nutritional profile but can be substituted with regular egg yolks.
- Ensure the custard is cooled before filling the sweet potatoes to prevent melting the caramelized topping.
- If a kitchen torch is not available, you can briefly place the filled sweet potatoes under a broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Japanese sweet potatoes are preferred for their natural sweetness and creamy texture; other sweet potatoes can be used but will alter the flavor.
- Wrapping sweet potatoes in foil helps retain moisture and ensures even roasting.
