This sweet potato creme brûlée is the perfect holiday dessert, with tender sweet potatoes topped with custard and that brown sugar shell.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Chill Time8 hourshrs
Total Time9 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dessert recipe, potatoes, sweetpotato
Servings: 8
Calories: 360kcal
Ingredients
For Sweet Potatoes
2large sweet potatoes
1/2cupsugar
1/4cupmelted butter
1/2teaspooncinnamon
2eggs
For Custard
2cupswhipping cream or heavy cream
1/2cupwhite sugar
4large egg yolks
1teaspoonvanilla extract
For Topping
1/3cupbrown sugar
Instructions
If you like, you can cook the sweet potatoes the day before you are ready to make the dish and store them in the fridge overnight. Bake at 425 until tender in the middle (around 15-25 minutes). This allows the skin to fall right off the next day.
2 large sweet potatoes
Place the sweet potato filling ingredients into a large bowl and beat them with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread into the bottom of a baking dish and set it aside.
2 large sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 eggs
Place all of the custard ingredients into a medium-heavy saucepot (or transfer to one before heating) and stir well. Place over medium-low heat and whisk constantly for five minutes or until just warm. It will be very runny.
2 cups whipping cream or heavy cream, 1/2 cup white sugar, 4 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using a measuring cup, gently scoop and pour the custard over the sweet potatoes.
Place the baking dish in the center of a larger baking dish and pour water into the larger dish until it is about an inch deep.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Carefully remove it from the oven and remove the baking dish from the water. Allow it to cool by placing it on a heavy dish towel or wire rack. Once cool, cover with foil and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Before serving, remove it from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for half an hour. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top and turn the oven to low broil. Place the dish on a baking sheet and put it in the oven, about 5 inches from the broiler, for 5-7 minutes, or until the sugar is mostly melted. Remove from the oven and allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the sugar to harden. Note: Not all of the sugar will melt but it will form a thin coat across the top of the dish.
1/3 cup brown sugar
Notes
I use sugar in the custard. But you could use Stevia or Monk Fruit or your favorite sweetener instead to make this a 'sugar-free' dish, except there is brown sugar on top, of course. These substitutes are much sweeter than sugar so some experimentation may be necessary to get the right taste.