Recipe by Chef Thia
Sweet potato pudding recipes have many iterations throughout the Caribbean. In this version, familiar elements like baking spices and raisins are present, but so are elements like rum, ripe bananas, and three types of milk that make it extra creamy. This method starts on the stove and ends in the oven. Chef Thia created this dessert, served in adorable little ramekins on an episode of Taste the Islands Season II.
Remember that Caribbean sweet potatoes aren’t the same as the orange American ones. Look for “boniatos” or the Asian-style white or purple skinned sweet potatoes when making this. Try the delicious Haitian sweet potato pudding recipe here.
- 1 stick (4 oz.) Butter, unsalted
- 5 cups Boniatos (Caribbean Sweet Potato), finely grated
- 1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Ginger
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
- 2 medium sized ripe Bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 1/2 cups Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup Raisins
- 1 tbsp. dark Rum
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add boniatos and cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring.
- Add 1/4 cup of coconut milk and continue stirring for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in sugar until it is melted, then mix in 1/2 cup of the coconut milk along with ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Fold mashed banana into the mixture and add remaining coconut milk, then stir until bananas are melted.
- Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, raisins and white rum while stirring for another 5 minutes. The mixture should be moist and approaching a semi-firm texture by this stage.
- Mix in vanilla, cover and let simmer at low heat for 5 minutes until the mixture has reduced and become sticky in texture.
- Spoon mixture into ramekins and bake for 25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the crown of the pudding is dark brown.
Enjoy this Haitian sweet potato pudding recipe warm with ice cream.
