Sweet Potato Custard

It rained last week here in Los Angeles. Sure it was only for a few minutes and it was still in the 70’s and partly sunny while it was happening, but it still means the same thing. Fall has officially begun!!! As I have said in many previous posts, fall is my favorite season, and so when it comes I completely embrace all things autumn and harvest-related, like pumpkins, squash, and sweet potatoes. I had a bunch of eggs left over from a marshmallow frosting I’d made last weekend, and decided to use them for a custard, and to make it fall-y, I decided to add roasted sweet potatoes to the mix as welll as some delicoius warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and this sweet potato custard was born.

I based this custard off of the one I made with blueberries and syrup a few months back, but baked this one in little creme brûlée ramekins instead of in one giant tray the way Greeks do. I really liked it this way because it’s easier to serve, and everything is already portioned out. It also keeps really well in the refrigerator for several days with each ramekin wrapped up, so it’s a nice make-ahead dessert for any upcoming holiday gatherings you may be attending. This entire batch was devoured immediately by four people, so it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!

How to Make Sweet Potato Custard

This is a very simple custard recipe. You just roast some sweet potatoes and puree them until smooth (or you can use canned sweet potato puree, but it might take a little longer to bake since the canned puree is a little waterier in my experience). Then you heat some milk in a pot until hot but not boiling and set it aside. Next, you mix together pretty much all the remaining ingredients (including the sweet potato puree) in a bowl, and then slowly add the hot milk to the bowl while whisking. Distribute it between some cute ramekins, pop it in the oven, and voila! You have some insanely tasty and silky smooth sweet potato custard on your hands. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

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Sweet Potato Custard

This creamy and cozy sweet potato custard is made with vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a silky smooth and simple dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword sweet potato custard

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cooling Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 304 kcal

Author Eva Kosmas Flores

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Custard

• 1 ⅔ cups whole milk or 2% milk or coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or vegan butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sweet potato puree
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus extra for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Sweet Potato Puree

• 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes

Instructions

Sweet Potato Custard

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease (6) 4 to 6-ounce ramekins and place them inside a large lipped baking dish and set it aside for now.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until hot but not boiling, stirring every minute or two (you may see some wisps of steam appearing when you stir, this means it’s the perfect temperature). Remove from the heat, stir in the tablespoon of butter, and set it aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until smooth. Add the sweet potato puree, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix until smooth and combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the milk in a slow, small, and steady stream until all the hot milk is added to the egg mixture.
4. Use a ladle to distribute the custard between the ramekins. Bring several cups of water to a boil, then pour it into the baking dish *around* the ramekins, but making sure not to get any water in the ramekins, until the water reaches about halfway up the side of the ramekins. Carefully place the pan in the oven, taking care to keep the pan straight as you place it.
5. Bake until the edges of the custard are firm but the center is a bit jiggly, about 20 to 30 minutes (if using a creme brulee ramekin, the baking time will be closer to 20 minutes. If using a narrower deeper ramekin, the baking time will be closer to 25 to 30 minutes). While baking, you can prepare the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream at low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium low and beat until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.
6. When the custard is done, allow it to cool to room temperature. You can then either serve it immediately, or cover them and refrigerate for up to three days before serving. When you’re ready to serve, dollop each ramekin with a heaping spoonful of whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. For a precise linear garnish like the photos, hold a piece of paper above half the ramekin and sprinkle the cinnamon over the ramekin. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Puree

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Place the pan in the oven and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, the cooking time depends on how thick the sweet potatoes are, but it will take about 40 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then peel them and puree them in a food processor. Makes about 1 ⅔ cups of sweet potato puree.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Custard

Amount Per Serving

Calories 304 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 117mg39%

Sodium 224mg10%

Potassium 559mg16%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 20g22%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 17564IU351%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 149mg15%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.