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Dulce de batata
Sweet potato paste
Dulce de batata: firm sweet potato paste set in a block and sliced
Deep orange and firm enough to slice, dulce de batata is the sweet potato paste Argentines eat with cheese, bake into pastelitos and pasta frola, and pack into school lunch boxes; the classic commercial block often hides a ribbon of chocolate in the centre. Making it at home takes patience at the stove, but the result tastes of real roasted sweet potato and vanilla. Traditional recipes simply cook the purée down for a long time; some factory versions set it with gelatin. This one uses a little agar, a seaweed-based setting agent, so it is reliably firm and stays vegan. Choose pale-fleshed sweet potato (batata) if you can, which gives the classic colour and dense texture; orange-fleshed ones work but set softer. The usual problem is too little cooking, which gives a paste that weeps; it is ready when a spoon drawn through it leaves a clean line. Chef's tip: cover your hand with a tea towel while you stir, because the thick paste spits like lava.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb sweet potatoespale-fleshed if you can find them
- 1 ⅓ lb sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 vanilla podsplit, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp agar powder
- 2 ⅞ oz dark chocolate (optional)dairy-free, melted, for the classic chocolate seam
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Boil 2 ¼ lb sweet potatoes whole in their skins for 40–45 minutes, until a knife slides through. Drain, peel while warm and push through a sieve or ricer into a smooth purée.
45 minStep 2: Put the purée in a wide heavy pan with 1 ⅓ lb sugar, ¾ cup water and 1 vanilla pod over a medium-low heat.
5 minStep 3: Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 40–50 minutes, until it turns a deep amber, comes away from the sides and a spoon drawn through leaves a clean line.
50 minStep 4: Sprinkle in 2 tsp agar powder, stir hard and simmer for 2 more minutes so it dissolves. Remove the vanilla pod.
2 minStep 5: Spoon half the paste into a 20 x 10 cm loaf tin lined with cling film. For the chocolate version, spread 2 ⅞ oz dark chocolate over it, then top with the rest. Smooth the top.
Step 6: Cool, cover and chill for at least 6 hours until firm. Turn out and cut into slabs to serve with cheese or use in pastries.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 57 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dulce de batata take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sweet potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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