Ingredients
Sweet potatoes and syrup
- 1000 g orange-fleshed sweet potatoes about 2.2 lb, scrubbed, skin on, damaged areas trimmed
- 200 g piloncillo about 7 oz, broken into pieces
- 750 ml water plus a little hot water if needed
- 1 stick cinnamon about 2 inches or 5 cm; removed before serving
Equipment
- 1 Wide saucepan with lid
- 1 Broad serving spoon
- 1 Skewer
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Food thermometer
Instructions
Simmer and finish
- Cut the scrubbed sweet potatoes into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) thick, keeping sizes similar and leaving the skin on.
- Put the water, piloncillo and cinnamon in a wide saucepan. Heat for approximately 5 to 8 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Arrange the sweet potato pieces in an even layer. The liquid need not cover them completely. Cover and simmer gently for 25 to 35 minutes, checking that the pot does not dry out. Add a little hot water if needed.
- Pierce the largest piece with a skewer. It should slide easily to the center. Continue cooking firm pieces, and lift tender ones out carefully with a broad spoon.
- If the syrup is thin, simmer it uncovered for 3 to 7 minutes, checking a cooled spoonful. Keep it pourable rather than reducing it to caramel. Return the sweet potatoes off the vigorous heat and spoon syrup over them.
- Remove the cinnamon, let the dessert cool slightly and divide the pieces and syrup among eight servings. Timing varies with the sweet potatoes, their size and the pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving with syrup (1/8 batch)Calories: 202.5kcalCarbohydrates: 49.7gProtein: 2gFat: 0.1gFiber: 3.8gSugar: 29.5g
Notes
This streamlined version uses cinnamon only and does not require drying the sweet potatoes first. Optional milk or yogurt for serving is not included. Refrigerate promptly at 40°F (4°C) or below, use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). This is not a shelf-stable preserve.
Estimated nutrition per one-eighth of the batch with all syrup: USDA SR Legacy raw sweet potato 168482 (1000 g), plus brown sugar 168833 (200 g) as a proxy for piloncillo energy and macronutrients, not its exact composition. Product moisture and composition vary. Minerals and other unmatched piloncillo fields are omitted. Removed cinnamon is not quantified.
