I love baking with sweet potatoes — their natural sweetness and creamy texture are magic in so many desserts. But this recipe flips the script. Instead of mixing them in, the sweet potatoes become the vessel for a silky vanilla custard. You can use any type of sweet potato you like—Japanese, yellow, orange, or even purple—for beautiful color and subtle flavor differences.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus baking time for potatoes)
Cook Time: 35–45 minutes
Chill Time: 4+ hours or overnight
Yield: 2 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (Japanese, yellow, orange, or purple)
• 240 mL whipping cream (35% fat)
• 10 mL vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• Extra white or raw sugar, for caramelizing on top

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Instructions

1. Bake the sweet potatoes:
   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a tray until tender, about 45–60 minutes. Let them cool completely.
2. Prepare the custard:
   Lower oven to 325°F (160°C). In a saucepan, heat the cream and vanilla just to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and powdered sugar until pale. Slowly whisk in the warm cream. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Prepare the sweet potatoes:
   Slice open the tops lengthwise. Scoop out or press down a little flesh to make a shallow cavity about ½–¾ inch deep.
4. Fill with custard:
   Place sweet potatoes in a baking dish. Carefully pour the custard into each cavity.
5. Bake in water bath:
   Pour hot water into the baking dish around the potatoes (halfway up their sides). Bake 35–45 minutes, until custard edges are set but centers still have a slight wobble.
6. Chill:
   Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Caramelize the tops:
   Sprinkle a layer of white or raw sugar over each custard. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize until golden and crisp. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

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Directions (summary flow)

1. Bake and cool potatoes.
2. Make and strain custard.
3. Prepare potato cavities.
4. Fill with custard, bake in water bath.
5. Chill thoroughly.
6. Sprinkle sugar and torch to caramelize.

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Chef’s Notes

• Use sweet potatoes of similar size for even results.
• Any type of sweet potato works—Japanese, yellow, orange, or purple—for fun color and flavor twists.
• You can brush the cavities with melted butter before adding the custard for extra richness.
• A pinch of flaky salt or cinnamon after torching adds a wonderful finish.