Does your culture use sweet potato in desserts? The Japanese absolutely adore sweet potato treats and often use it both savory and sweet dishes. You may have seen popular snacks like Daigaku Imo (Candied Sweet Potatoes) at the street stalls and Sweet Potato Pies at local bakeries in Japan. Today I’m sharing Sweet Potato (スイートポテト) recipe. You may ask what I’m making with it. Well, I’m making double baked “Sweet Potato” and that’s the name of this dessert!
What is Japanese Sweet Potato Dessert?
Basically, it’s a dessert made out of sweet potato puree and served in the shells to make it look like an actual sweet potato itself (too many “sweet potatoes” in one sentence!). Your brain thinks you’re going to take a bite into a savory vegetable, but it turns out to be sweet, creamy and silky. And that’s what makes this dessert fun and surprising! It gets confusing when the name of the dessert literally means Sweet Potato while it is made out of Japanese sweet potato. Why would we do that? “Sweet Potato” dessert was invented around Meiji period when Japan had a lot of western influence. This dessert made with Japanese sweet potato Satsumaimo (さつまいも), heavy cream, butter, and sugar was considered a western dessert. Therefore, instead of naming this dessert a Japanese name, it received the English name “Sweet Potato”, written in katakana スイートポテト.
Satsumaimo has purple-ish or reddish color skin and creamy white flesh that turns yellow after cooking. The taste is much sweeter than ordinary sweet potatoes found in the U.S, which makes it an ideal ingredient for making desserts.
Recipes Using Satsumaimo on Just One Cookbook
Desserts
Daigaku Imo Sweet Potato Pies
Savory
Steamed Vegetables with Miso Sesame Sauce Kuri Kinton (Candied Chestnuts with Sweet Potatoes) for Japanese New Year Gluten Free Tempura
Creamy and Smooth Japanese Sweet Potato
The ultimate goal for this dessert include 3 important aspects: These are the most important characteristics you look for when you eat Sweet Potato the dessert.
3 Tips to Make Successful Japanese Sweet Potato
It’s a simple recipe, but if you don’t pay close attention, your Sweet Potato may end up looking rather sad and can taste worse than the actual baked sweet potatoes. So don’t miss these three tips!
1. Adjust the amount of ingredients for a smooth and creamy puree
Sweet potatoes vary in sizes and each one weighs differently. I strongly recommend weighing them and make an adjustment if necessary after comparing with my recipe. If yours weigh more, then you will need to modify the amount of butter, sugar, and heavy cream. This ensures the right texture of the puree. Without the right amount of ingredients, your puree will turn into a big lump and won’t be even smooth and creamy. I know so because I’ve failed a few times by following too closely to my own old measurement without any alteration.
2. Keep a 5 mm wall to create sturdy shells
When you scoop out the flesh, create a sweet potato shell with a 5 mm (1/4 inch) wall. Don’t carve out too much flesh because if your wall is thinner, the wall cannot support itself.
3. Smooth out the filling and make a little mountain
When you stuff the shell with sweet potato puree, make sure to create a mountain with a gentle slope. Because of the extra amount added to create the slope, you can only make five Sweet Potatoes instead of 6 (each sweet potato makes 2 shells).
Where to Find Japanese Sweet Potatoes?
Aside from Japanese grocery stores, you can find Japanese Sweet Potatoes at Whole Foods and some other well-stock major stores these days. If you know of your local farmers market that carries them, please share your location in the comment below. I hope you grab a few of these highly nutritious Japanese Sweet Potatoes and make this delicious dessert. It’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and celebrate fall without overdoing it.
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