Japanese sweet potato dessert is made with mashed up ‘Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato)' that is loaded with natural sweetness. They are buttery smooth, perfectly sweet and easy to make with minimum ingredients.
In Japan, this dessert is literally called ‘Sweet Potato’. They are made with mashed sweet potato, egg, cream or butter, a little bit of sugar and shaped into an oblong or round shape before being baked in the oven.
They are rich and decadent with a soft creamy texture. I also love the fact that they are not overly sweet yet perfectly satisfies your sweets craving. How difficult are they to make? All it takes is mixing the ingredients in one saucepan, shape, and bake for 15 minutes!
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What are Japanese sweet potatoes?
Japanese sweet potatoes have a deep purple skin with white yellow-ish flesh. They are starchier, and much sweeter than American sweet potatoes. They can be used both for savory dishes such as Japanese Sweet Potato Fries, or sweets like Japanese sweet potato tart.
Ingredients for this recipe
- Japanese sweet potatoes
- Organic cane sugar - or any sugar with a lighter color
- Vegan butter - I use salted type.
- Oat milk - or any non dairy milk of your choice
- Vanilla extract
- Egg yolk
Toppings
- Egg yolk
- Black sesame
How to make Japanese sweet potato dessert?
1. Cook the potatoes. Place the sweet potato cubes in a deep saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain, and put them back in the saucepan.
2. Mash the potatoes. Mash the potatoes well inside the saucepan using a masher or a wooden spatula.
3. Cook off the moisture. Cook off the excess moisture over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir constantly with a spatula.
4. Mix in the sugar, butter, and milk. Turn off the heat when everything is combined.
5. Mix in the egg yolk. Then let the mix cool until it’s cool enough to touch. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 204°C.
6. Shape. Roll the mix into 20 balls and flatten the surface. Place them on a lined baking sheet. Brush the top with whisked egg yolk, then sprinkle black sesame on each of them.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top browns slightly.
*See below recipe card for detailed instruction.
Tips
Wet your hands slightly to prevent the sweet potato mix sticking to your hands.
Make sure to mash the potatoes while they are hot.
During the mashing process, mash well if you want a smoother texture and less if you like a chunkier texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole Foods carries them most of the time, and you can also find them at Asian grocery stores. Make sure to check the label before you purchase as they could get mixed up with other kinds of potatoes with similar colored skin.
Baked Japanese sweet potato dessert can be kept at room temperature for up to a day. After that, make sure to store in the fridge, covered tightly.
This part is more for the presentation. It gives a nice golden brown look and also helps the black sesame to stick. You may omit this process if you are in a rush (or rather can’t wait)!
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Recipe
Japanese Sweet Potato Dessert
Ingredients
- 20 ounces Japanese sweet potato peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter salted
- 3 tablespoons oat milk or any dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
Toppings
- 1 egg yolk whisked
- ½ teaspoon black sesame
Instructions
- Place the sweet potato cubes in a deep saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes well using a strainer, and put them back in the saucepan.
- Mash the potatoes well inside the saucepan using a masher (recommended) or a wooden spatula.
- Cook off the excess moisture over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir constantly with a spatula.
- Add in the sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Turn off the heat when everything is combined.
- Add in one egg yolk and mix well. Let the mix cool until it’s cool enough to touch. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 204°C.
- Roll the mix into 20 balls and flatten the surface. Place them on a lined baking sheet. Brush the top with whisked egg yolk, then sprinkle black sesame on each of them.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the top browns slightly.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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