You Say Yam, I Say Sweet Potato
Cooking with Dry and Moist Sweet Potatoes
Hanna and Kotobuki, and other dry-flesh sweet potatoes make a luscious flan that could be mistaken for chestnut–emphasize that by serving them with a spoon full of warm chestnut honey. Or, as chestnuts and chocolate are a good pair, you might want to serve the flan with chocolate sauce.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Serves 6
- Butter for the ramekins
- 12 ounces Kotobuki, Hanna sweet potatoes, steamed until tender
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- Chestnut honey, warmed (or another kind)
Preparation
Steam sweet potatoes until tender.
Cooking
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Lightly butter six ramekins.
Bring the milk, sugar, and vanilla bean just to the boil, then turn off the heat. Stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk, and return the pods to the pan. Let stand for the flavor to infuse for 15 minutes.
Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato and measure 3/4 cup. Puree with the eggs, it will have a somewhat sticky texture. Add the milk and process just until well blended. You want a minimum amount of bubbles for a smooth custard.
Pour the liquid into the ramekins and set them in a large pan. Add boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until set but just a bit wobbly at the very center, about 45 minutes. Leave the custards in the water bath until ready to serve. Run a knife along the edge of the cups, then turn them out onto serving plates.
Drizzle with warm chestnut honey.
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