Every time I bake a soft, honeyed sweet potato, I think, “Boy, I don’t eat enough of these!” As the name indicates, this root vegetable possesses a pleasing sweet flavor, one that goes well with a variety of foods and preparations. It also has a deep orange hue that enlivens any dinner or dessert plate. Its gorgeous color comes from the large amount of beta carotene that it contains. An antioxidant, beta carotene converts into Vitamin A. Pretty, delicious and nutritious!

Selecting the right root

In the U.S. we use the terms “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. They are not the same vegetable. They aren’t even from the same plant family. Although they both come from Southern America and are root vegetables, yams have a woodier, more root-like appearance. Their skins range from off-white to dark brown. Their slightly mealy flesh runs from off-white to pink. Unlike sweet potatoes, they must be cooked before eaten. If you’re not shopping at a specialty/international market and you spot a mound of potatoes labeled “yams,” chances are you’re buying sweet potatoes.

Southern Specialty Reinvented

Okay, I didn’t really reinvent a thing. I was just too pressed for time to make a homemade crust for a sweet potato pie. Instead, I altered a few ingredients, poured the filling into buttered and floured ramekins and baked the puddings until set.

Like the Southern specialty from which it originated, Sweet Potato Pudding has a rich, warm flavor and sumptuous texture. Unlike that dessert, it also has a bit of a crunch. A dusting of cinnamon sugar gives each pudding that extra bite.

Sweet Potato Pudding

Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, washed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, whisked

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Cinnamon sugar, for dusting

Whipped cream, optional, for serving

Bring a large saucepan or small stockpot filled with salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes. Cook until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit. Butter and flour the 6 to 8 ramekins. Place them on a baking sheet and set aside.

Once the sweet potatoes have cooled, peel off and discard their skins. Cut the potatoes into chunks and place them in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Whisk together the butter, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to the potatoes and pulse to combine.  

Pour equal amounts of the sweet potato pudding into the ramekins. Bake until the puddings’s edges are firm but their centers wiggle slightly when the baking sheet is jiggled, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the ramekins on a wire cooling rack. Dust the tops with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with optional whipped cream.