{Disclosure} I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
We’ve been friends for a long time, you and I. You know my kitchen quirks, my strange habits, and my tendency to set ridiculous challenges that no man, beast, or dietitian should ever attempt. Not while juggling a whole circus’s worth of projects, anyway.
So when I tell you I challenged myself to prepare sweetpotatoes three ways in a single dessert, you know I’m totally serious.
By the way, sweetpotatoes are not the same thing as sweet potatoes. Catch the difference? California sweetpotatoes (one word) are a special type of sweet potato. And by special, I mean they’re grown in soft sand and hand sorted during harvest to minimize scarring and scratching. These sweetpotatoes are not only gorgeous, they’re super nutritious. Check it out, folks: One medium-sized sweetpotato contains 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, vitamin C, and more than a day’s worth of vitamin A. All for 105 calories. Not too shabby.
In case you’re thinking of reaching for a yam, snatch back that hand! Some grocery stores carry sweetpotatoes labeled as yams, yet yams are not readily available in the U.S. (you’ll have to go to the Carribbean or find a grocery store that imports them). Yams are dry and starchy, while sweetpotatoes are sweet and moist. I know which I’d rather use.
Sweetpotatoes can enhance sweet or savory dishes depending on how you prepare them. To feature three popular California varieties found in grocery stores nationwide (O’Henry, Diane, and Covington), I prepared them three ways and incorporated all three in a light, nutritious dessert. The sweetpotato chips were made with O’Henry (which looks like a white potato, but is definitely a sweetpotato), the sweetpotato apple bake with Diane, and the “ice cream” with Covington. Feel free to use whichever varieties suit your fancy.
The cinnamon sweetpotato “ice cream” is the real star of this dessert. Egg-free and dairy-free, it has only four ingredients and tastes like pumpkin pie. I know I’ll be making it again soon.
The picture below will help you visualize the parchment paper trick mentioned in the recipe. It really works for creating perfect layered circles. Try this dessert at a fancy dinner party for maximum impact.
Pre-baking:
Sweetpotato Apple Bake with Cinnamon Sweetpotato “Ice Cream”
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Keywords: dessert vegan sweetpotatoes
Ingredients (6 servings)
Sweetpotato Apple Bake
- 4 medium California sweetpotatoes, peeled
- 3 medium tart apples, such as Granny Smith
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Cinnamon Sweetpotato “Ice Cream”
- 2 medium California sweetpotatoes, peeled
- 2 large ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sweetpotato Chips
- 1 medium California sweetpotato, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
At least five hours before baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sweetpotatoes for the sweetpotato apple bake and “ice cream” (six sweetpotatoes total). Lower heat and simmer for 35 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the sweetpotatoes. Remove and set aside. Once sweetpotatoes are cool enough to handle, chop two sweetpotatoes into 1-inch cubes. Spread cubes and sliced bananas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least four hours. Refrigerate remaining four sweetpotatoes until next step.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread sweetpotato chips evenly so their edges do not touch. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 45 minutes, flipping chips halfway through baking. Remove and allow to cool on cooling racks. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
While chips bake, remove the four sweetpotatoes from the refrigerator and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut six squares of parchment paper, cut squares in half, and arrange six squares on a baking sheet with halves slightly overlapping. Arrange slices in six circles on the parchment paper squares, alternating sweetpotatoes and apples and overlapping the edges. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake at 350 degree F for 30 minutes, or until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven.
While sweetpotatoes and apples bake, place frozen sweetpotatoes, frozen banana slices, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Use a large spatula and parchment paper to transfer sweetpotato circles to warm plates. Spoon ice cream in the middle of each circle, top with a sweet potato chip, and sprinkle cinnamon over all, if desired. Serve immediately.
Joanne says
October 10, 2013 at 8:01 amI am so impressed that you used all three varieties of sweet potatoes here! I kind of want to eat this for every meal of the day. Eat dessert first? Yes, when it has sweetpotatoes!
Lucy says
October 10, 2013 at 10:04 amThis looks very cutting edge! I looove sweet potatoes…when I was living in Korea I was amazed at how popular sweet potatoes were there. They were in pastries, cakes, pizza, etc and always delicious.
Wish I could eat your dish right now!
Spidey ;) says
October 10, 2013 at 8:11 pmLoving every bit of this sweet creation, my dear! Your creativity, love and curiosity for new food combinations really shows in this lovely recipe. Don’t ever change the way you cook healthy food. Btw, you mentioned that this is a contest. Is there any voting involved? If so, link me up and my vote is definitely yours! Hope all is well with you. 😀
Jessie says
October 10, 2013 at 8:48 pmHaha! You’re so sweet, LeeQs 🙂 There’s no voting involved in this contest, but thanks for your vote anyway! Hope all is well with you and G and K and L!
Tamara Coleman says
October 10, 2013 at 9:54 pmWhat a fun and impressive flavor combination! 🙂
http://www.prettybitchescancooktoo.com
Andrea@WellnessNotes says
October 10, 2013 at 10:34 pmI love that you get so creative and playful in the kitchen! Great dish!
EA-The Spicy RD says
October 11, 2013 at 1:16 amLove the creativity of this dish! Everything sounds yummy, but the sweet potato “ice cream” is a must make for sure! Happy ReDux 🙂
Samantha Angela says
October 11, 2013 at 10:05 amThat’s a really creative recipe!
Sarah Grace says
October 11, 2013 at 10:25 amWow this is amazing! love the three ways you used sweet potatoes here!
ATasteOfMadness says
October 12, 2013 at 1:29 pmWow, this is just SCREAMING fall. I love it, this looks great!
veganmiam.com says
October 12, 2013 at 8:43 pmWhat a beautiful, healthy and creative dish, Jessie, I thought it was a sweet potato pancake and loved that sweet potato chip as a garnish! I would love to have a bite of that bake! Have a great weekend x
Deanna Segrave-Daly says
October 13, 2013 at 9:12 amWow – this is so unique and I bet amazingly delicious. Reminds me when I use to mix whipped sweet potatoes into ice cream for my daughter when she was a toddler – need to try you banana sweetpotato combo now!
The Candid RD says
October 13, 2013 at 3:50 pmOk, I’m making this (at least the ice cream part!). PRONTO. This sounds heavenly Jessie. Where on earth do you come up with these ?!?!
Jessie says
October 14, 2013 at 9:55 amYou ARE the homemade ice cream queen 🙂
Jessica @ Floptimism says
October 19, 2013 at 9:44 amWe need recipes like this to prove that healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or bland or unappetizing. This dessert looks AMAZING, and I wanted to let you know that I featured it on my blog’s Weekend Wrap-Up today. Thank you for such a unique and fantastic idea, and I hope you enjoy your weekend!
Here’s a link to the wrap-up — feel free to stop by and grab a badge, if you like!
http://www.floptimism.com/2013/10/weekend-wrap-up-pumpkin.html#more-1844
Jessie says
October 19, 2013 at 11:02 amThanks for the mention, Jessica! Enjoy your weekend 🙂