Japanese Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée

Name: Japanese Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H30M0.000S
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 Japanese sweet potatoes; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1/2 cup kimchi, chopped well; 4 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling; 2 large egg yolks; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 cup heavy cream

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Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 30 min
Active: 30 min

Yield: 2 servings

In Korea almost no one eats a sweet potato on its own — it’s almost always accompanied by kimchi. In this luscious dessert (or snack) I combine the popular kimchi-potato pairing with the viral crème brûlée recipe that fills a sweet potato with rich custard topped with a crackling layer of caramelized sugar. The result is an irresistible melding of sweet, salty and sour flavors and contrasting silky and crunchy textures.

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 30 min
Active: 30 min

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

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2 Japanese sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup kimchi, chopped well

4 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Special equipment:

a kitchen torch

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and place on a small sheet pan. Bake until softened, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small nonstick pan over high heat. Add the kimchi and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Cook until the kimchi caramelizes, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Combine the egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining 3 teaspoons sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk until fully combined with no lumps. Add the cream and whisk again until fully combined. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thick and velvety, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps from the custard.
Place the sweet potatoes on a plate. Cut an oval shape off of the top of each one. Scoop out half of the flesh of each sweet potato. Press the removed flesh through a sieve and into the bowl with the custard. Whisk to combine.
To assemble, spoon half of the kimchi into each potato and fill the rest with custard (see Cook’s Note). Sprinkle the custard with sugar (you’ll probably use about 1 tablespoon sugar for each sweet potato to make a good crust). Hold a kitchen torch above each sweet potato and move the flame to caramelize the sugar. Enjoy!