Ingredients
Sweet potatoes and syrup
- 2 lb peeled sweet potatoes 900 g prepared, cut into even 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 180 g piloncillo about 6 1/3 oz, grated or broken into small pieces
- 2 1/2 cups water 600 ml, plus small splashes if needed
- 1 cinnamon stick about 3 inches long, removed after cooking
Equipment
- Wide saucepan with lid
- Slotted spoon
- Knife and peeler
Instructions
Simmer gently
- Place the water, piloncillo and cinnamon in a wide saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the piloncillo dissolves. Do not handle hot syrup with bare fingers.
- Add the sweet potato pieces and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for about 25–35 minutes, turning the pieces carefully once, until a small knife enters the centers easily. Add a small splash of water if the syrup thickens before the potatoes soften.
- Lift the tender pieces out with a slotted spoon. If the syrup is thin, simmer it uncovered for 5–10 minutes until lightly syrupy and spoonable; it thickens further as it cools. Do not cook it to a hard-candy stage.
- Remove the cinnamon stick. Return the sweet potatoes to the syrup gently or spoon the syrup over six portions. Rest for 10 minutes before serving warm, or refrigerate promptly for chilled servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 59.6gProtein: 2.4gFat: 0.1gSodium: 91mgPotassium: 545mgFiber: 4.5gSugar: 35.4gCalcium: 70mgIron: 1.1mg
Notes
Nutrition is an estimate per one-sixth of the batch using USDA sweet potato data and brown sugar as a proxy for piloncillo, assuming all syrup is consumed; the removed cinnamon stick and optional toppings are excluded. Piloncillo brands and syrup portions change the estimate. Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C) if serving hot.