Almost every night I seem to go through the same routine. It goes a little something like this:
Come home from work.
Fix dinner.
Eat dinner.
Wash dishes.
Watch whatever mildly (or blatantly) trashy TV show is on the docket for that evening. Or maybe read a book if I’m feeling particularly brilliant that evening. Likely do some blogging.
Realize around, oh, 8 pm that I could really use some dessert.
Fight dessert craving.
Continue to fight dessert craving (this is probably made harder by reading other food blogs and the very existence of Pinterest).
Keep fighting even though my resolve is crumbling down around me like the walls of Jericho…
Eventually, usually around 10 or 11 pm, give in and raid the kitchen for something, anything that will make said craving go away.
The best I can usually come up with is a bowl of cereal. I guess that’s what happens when you refuse to keep junk food in the house.
The other day, however, I decided to peruse my collection of cookbooks for a recipe that might be quick to make, not too terribly fattening and – the real kicker – would require ingredients that I already had in my kitchen.
Bingo! Sweet potato custards. Quick? Check. Low cal? Check. Simple list of ingredients? Clearly.
They’re kind of like sweet potato pie…only without the crust.
When you pull them out of the oven they’ll be all puffed and golden and beautiful. And then, like a souffle, they’ll fall. Like most beautiful things, they will reach a point where they are not quite so beautiful anymore. Don’t despair! They’re still the same custards you fell in love with, still as delightfully delicious, just perhaps with a few more wrinkles. (Whoa! Did I just throw a metaphorical life lesson in there? Don’t worry, I’m sure I will say something that will make me sound like a nitwit again soon.)
Sweet Potato Custards
Ingredients
- 6 12 ounces sweet potatoes, cooked and cooled
- 1/2 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/2 1 cup almond milk or lowfat dairy milk
- 1/4 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 2 eggs
- 1/4 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 4 teaspoons chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (or 4) 1-cup oven safe custard cups or gratin dishes with the butter.
- In a blender, combine the sweet potatoes, milk, eggs, sugar, spices and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
- Pour blended mixture evenly between prepared custard cups, about 3/4 cup per dish. Sprinkle the top of each custard with about a teaspoon of chopped pecans. Place custards on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned, set in the center and slightly puffed.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Stephie, this is a legitimate question, I am not being rude. Is the 6 oz of sweet potatoes the measurement before or after cooking? If it is the “after” measurement, about how much do you recommend for the before? It probably doesn’t matter that much, but thanks!
Oh no, that is a totally legit question. The 6 oz is referring to before cooking, however, I have to admit that since I don’t have a scale, I just used what for me would be a smallish sweet potato, guessing it was probably a little less than half a pound. They turned out fine even with my guesstimating, so I’m going to say that having it hit right at 6 oz probably isn’t a huge deal. =)
This is a great recipe for a dessert.
Did you just say sweet potato pie without the crust? Sweeeeet! You know, not in the literal sense… Well, I’m sure they are sweet in the literal sense, but for now it’s the “holy cool” sense. I’m digging this… Lots
OK Stephie, they are in the oven..mmmmmmm….the batter tastes really good and they smell is incredible as they bake…so I will let you know how they turn out….
I LOVE the pictures…IT helps me soooo much.. Thank you and keep em coming..
mmmmmming, Betsey
So, I just took mine out and they look browned around the edges but my texture on the top is not as muffin-looking as yours…What do you think…Maybe, I did not mix enough or maybe I should mix eggs before putting them in..hmmmmm…another mystery in the baking world….thanks again Stephie…delicious…Betsey
Hmmm, it is kind of hard to say. I didn’t mix anything prior to putting everything in the blender, just let my blender do all of the work. Perhaps it was a difference in the milk? And mine only looked pretty and muffin-y for approximately 30 seconds. As long as they were set in the center then they would have been done. I’m hoping they tasted ok, though! I’m glad you gave them a try =)
FINALLY made this recipe. It was AWESOME!! My husband loved it! I think my oven isn’t as hot as yours because it took longer to bake. I also just noticed I should have weighed my potatoes BEFORE I cooked them. I measure out 12 oz of cooked potato with the measuring cup. Oh well, it was still yummylicious! I’ll have to try it the CORRECT way to see how that changes cooking time, etc.
I am so glad you enjoyed it, even with the slight measuring mishap! =)
What is the difference between making a sweet potato pie and making sweet potato custard other then the custard doesn’t usually have a crust, but there are some that make sweet potato custard pie, I’m confused on the two can you enlighten me on the difference between the two.
They’re pretty similar, though the custards are much more portion-control friendly!