Would you believe me if I told you you can make caramel from sweet potatoes? With no added sugar. Just sweet potatoes?
It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
Well, it isn't. Not exactly.
It kind of depends on how you define caramel. If you think of caramel as a soft, luscious candy, then no. This is not caramel. This is more like caramel in its most basic form: sugar heated until it turns a deep amber color and takes on a complex flavor.
In this version, 3 pounds of sweet potatoes are baked in a drizzle of water until soft and pliable. They are then drained, extracting the liquid from the flesh. The liquid is then simmered until reduced to a rich, thick syrup.
The resulting sauce is undeniably sweet with burnt sugar, caramel-like notes and a distinctive flavor of sweet potato. It is the essence of sweet potato. Literally.
The syrup is ideal for drizzling over pancakes or ice cream, topping roasted meats, blending with butter for slathering on toast or biscuits. Or if you're feeling meta, in a sweet potato casserole.
Sweet Potato Caramel
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size
1 cup water, divided use
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place sweet potatoes and 1/2 cup water in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour; remove foil and bake 15 minutes more. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water and stir to loosen any sweet potatoes stuck to the baking dish.
Line a fine-mesh strainer with several layers of cheesecloth (I used butter muslin) and set strainer over a medium saucepan. Transfer sweet potatoes and liquid from pan to the strainer and let drain for 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth together and wring tightly to extract as much liquid as possible from the sweet potatoes. You should have about 11/2 cups liquid. (Don't toss the sweet potato puree. Use it in any recipe calling for mashed or pureed sweet potatoes.)
Bring the saucepan of liquid to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until mixture thickens. The longer you simmer, the thicker it will become, but the less you will have of it.
Use immediately or transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate. Will keep for about 2 weeks.
Makes 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans, Coconut and Sweet Potato Caramel
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, divided use
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, roasted and mashed
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Dash ground cinnamon
Dash ground red pepper (cayenne)
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Sweet Potato Caramel (see previous recipe)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat a 1 1/2-to 2-quart baking dish with butter.
In a bowl, beat sweet potatoes, eggs, evaporated milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and cayenne until smooth. Spread into prepared pan.
In a small bowl, using your fingers blend remaining butter, coconut, pecans and brown sugar. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil, drizzle with Sweet Potato Caramel and bake 5 minutes more.
Makes about 8 servings.
Food on 12/07/2016