Step 1: Prepare and Roast the Sweet Potatoes. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place the clean, unpeeled sweet potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, gently poke several holes into the top of each sweet potato. This allows steam to escape during baking, preventing them from bursting. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45-55 minutes, or until they are fork-tender and soft when squeezed. Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before handling, as they will be very hot.

Step 2: Hollow Out the Sweet Potatoes and Prepare Puree. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, gently press down on the top of each one with your hands to slightly flatten the surface. Carefully slice off the top piece of skin to create an opening. With a spoon, meticulously scoop out most of the cooked sweet potato flesh, leaving a sturdy ½-inch wall of flesh all around, creating a natural bowl. From the scooped-out excess, measure out ½ cup of sweet potato flesh. Mash this portion with a fork until smooth, or blend it into a puree for an even silkier texture. Set this puree aside, as it will be incorporated into our crème brûlée custard. If you accidentally create a small hole in the sweet potato shell, simply use some of the mashed flesh to patch it up and press it into shape.

Step 3: Combine Egg Yolks, Sugar, and Puree. In a large pitcher or measuring cup (one with a spout makes pouring easier), combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and the ½ cup of sweet potato puree you prepared earlier. Stir these ingredients together gently until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Be careful not to overmix, as incorporating too much air can lead to a foamy top on your custard.

Step 4: Add Remaining Custard Ingredients. To the sweet potato mixture, add the sea salt, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, and milk. Stir everything together gently until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is uniform. Again, avoid vigorous stirring to prevent excess air bubbles.

Step 5: Fill the Sweet Potato Shells. Carefully pour the prepared crème brûlée mixture into the hollowed-out sweet potatoes, filling them almost to the top. Arrange the filled sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. If you happen to have any extra custard mixture beyond what fits into your sweet potato shells, don’t discard it! You can bake it in a separate ramekin. Refer to the “Baking in Ramekins” instructions below for guidance on how to bake crème brûlée in a traditional dish.

Step 6: Bake and Chill. Bake the filled sweet potatoes in a preheated oven at 340°F (170°C) for 20-25 minutes. The crème brûlée is ready when the edges appear set, but the center still has a slight jiggle when gently shaken. Baking times may vary depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. Once baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. After cooling, transfer the sweet potato crème brûlées to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 to 4 hours, or ideally overnight. This crucial chilling period allows the custard to fully set, achieving its signature silky-smooth, firm texture.

Step 1: Prepare Sweet Potato Puree and Combine Egg Yolks & Sugar. First, bake one sweet potato until it’s very soft and squishy, which typically takes about 45 to 55 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Allow it to cool, then mash it thoroughly with a fork or blend it into a smooth puree. In a large pitcher or measuring cup, combine the egg yolks and granulated sugar. Stir these ingredients together until the mixture is completely smooth and the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Step 2: Add Remaining Custard Ingredients. To the egg yolk and sugar mixture, add the sea salt, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, the prepared sweet potato puree, heavy whipping cream, and milk. Stir everything gently until all the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture is smooth and uniform. Remember, light stirring is key to avoid incorporating too much air, which can lead to an uneven custard texture.

Step 3: Fill Ramekins and Prepare Water Bath. Carefully pour the sweet potato crème brûlée mixture into 4-6 oven-safe ramekins, filling them almost to the brim. Place the filled ramekins into a larger baking pan that has tall edges. Heat water to boiling in a kettle or saucepan. Once boiling, carefully pour the hot water into the larger baking pan, around the ramekins, until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This water bath (or “bain-marie”) is crucial for ensuring the custards bake gently and evenly, preventing them from cracking or becoming rubbery.

Step 4: Bake and Chill. Carefully transfer the baking pan with the ramekins and water bath into your oven, preheated to 340°F (170°C). Bake for approximately 18-22 minutes. The crème brûlée is perfectly done when the edges are set and firm, but the center still has a slight, delicate jiggle. Remove the baking pan from the oven, then carefully lift the ramekins out of the water bath. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 to 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the custard to fully set and achieve its desired silky texture.

Step 1: Sugar the Top. Just before you’re ready to serve, take your chilled crème brûlées out of the refrigerator. Sprinkle one to two teaspoons of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Gently tilt and rotate the sweet potato or ramekin to ensure the sugar creates a thin, uniform layer across the entire surface. This even coating is key to achieving a perfectly crisp and continuous caramelized crust.

Step 2: Caramelize and Serve. Using a kitchen torch, carefully melt and caramelize the sugar on top of each crème brûlée until it turns a deep, golden-amber color and forms a hard, crunchy shell. When torching crème brûlée served in sweet potato shells, exercise extra caution to avoid igniting the sweet potato skins; direct the flame only at the sugar. For this reason, I strongly recommend using a kitchen torch for sweet potato shells over an oven broiler, as a torch offers much greater precision. If you are using ramekins, an oven broiler can be used (see FAQs below for instructions). Allow the caramelized sugar to set and harden for about 1-2 minutes, then serve immediately for the ultimate “crack” effect and delightful contrast in temperatures and textures.

✔️ Expert Tips for Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée Perfection

Achieving a perfect crème brûlée is simple when you know these expert tricks:

1. Avoid Overmixing Yolks and Sugar: When combining your egg yolks and sugar, mix them just enough until they are smooth and fully incorporated. Overmixing introduces too much air into the mixture, which can result in a foamy top layer on your custard, and potentially create unwanted air bubbles or a less silky texture after baking. A gentle whisk is all you need.
2. Embrace the Water Bath Method for Ramekins: The water bath (or bain-marie) is a crucial technique for baking custards evenly and gently. The hot water surrounding the ramekins insulates the custard, preventing the edges from cooking too quickly and curdling, while allowing the center to set perfectly and smoothly. This slow, even heat transfer ensures a consistently creamy and perfectly set crème brûlée. Use boiling water from a kettle for quick setup.
3. Know When It’s Done: Your crème brûlée is perfectly baked when the edges are set and firm to the touch, but the very center still has a slight, delicate jiggle. It will continue to set as it cools and chills in the refrigerator. Overbaking can lead to a rubbery or grainy texture, so keep a close eye on it! When baking in sweet potatoes, be aware that their varying sizes might mean some are ready sooner than others.
4. Allow Ample Chilling Time: This step is non-negotiable for achieving the ideal creamy, silky-smooth, and thick texture of crème brûlée. After baking and cooling to room temperature, refrigerate your custards for at least 2 to 4 hours, or even better, overnight. This extended chilling time allows the custard to fully firm up and develop its exquisite mouthfeel.
5. Choose the Right Sweet Potatoes: For the sweet potato shell method, opt for medium-sized, firm sweet potatoes that can hold their shape well after roasting and hollowing. Consistent size helps with even baking.

For the perfect, shatteringly crisp crust, granulated sugar or fine cane sugar are your best choices for the top of a crème brûlée. Their fine crystal structure melts quickly and evenly, forming a smooth, continuous, glass-like crust when torched. Avoid using brown sugar or golden sugar, as these contain molasses, which causes them to burn much faster than they can properly melt and caramelize, often resulting in a bitter, charred taste rather than a sweet, toffee-like crunch.

While tempting for convenience, I strongly advise against torching the top of your crème brûlée too far in advance. After just a few hours, the caramelized sugar topping will begin to absorb moisture from the air and the custard, causing it to soften and melt back into a syrupy liquid. This will ruin the signature crunchy texture. For the ultimate satisfying crack, always caramelize the sugar topping just before serving. If you do find your topping has softened, simply pour off any accumulated syrup, gently dab the top with a clean paper towel, and then sprinkle on a fresh layer of sugar to torch or broil again.

I’ve successfully tested this recipe with both common orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and purple-skinned (which typically have white or pale flesh) sweet potatoes, and both varieties yield fantastic results. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes tend to be sweeter and slightly more moist or “stringy” when pureed, offering a vibrant color. Purple-skinned sweet potatoes, on the other hand, often have a starchier, denser, and smoother white flesh, which I personally find creates an even creamier, subtly flavored puree that holds up wonderfully in the custard. Feel free to use whichever variety you prefer or have available!

While often confused and sometimes used interchangeably in grocery stores, true yams and sweet potatoes are botanically distinct. Sweet potatoes are generally sweeter, have smoother skin (ranging from orange, red, brown, or white), and a creamier, more vibrant flesh. True yams, more common in African and Asian cuisine, have rough, bark-like skin and a starchier, drier, white or purple flesh. Most “yams” sold in American supermarkets are actually a type of orange-fleshed sweet potato. This recipe was developed specifically for sweet potatoes, and I haven’t tested it with true yams, so I cannot guarantee the same results if you choose to substitute.

Absolutely, yes! If you prefer a more classic presentation or don’t want to use sweet potato shells, you can easily bake this crème brûlée in individual oven-safe ramekins or similar heatproof dessert bowls. Simply follow the detailed instructions provided in the “Baking in Ramekins Step-by-Step” section above, including the use of a water bath for optimal results.

This recipe is designed to yield approximately 4-6 servings. You should be able to fill about 6 medium-sized hollowed-out sweet potatoes. If you’re using ramekins, the quantity will depend on their size. Standard crème brûlée ramekins typically hold about 4-6 ounces, so you’ll likely need 4-6 ramekins. Keep in mind that ramekins are often larger in volume than the natural cavities you create in sweet potatoes, so adjust accordingly.

Yes, absolutely! That’s one of the most delightful aspects of serving crème brûlée in sweet potato shells – the entire creation is edible, including the roasted sweet potato flesh and even the skin (if thoroughly washed and softened during roasting). It creates a beautiful, rustic, and completely nourishing dessert that’s both decadent and satisfying. This unique, edible bowl presentation makes for a fantastic holiday showstopper that’s also incredibly convenient to prepare ahead of time.

Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée

Mary

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