2000s Recipes + Menus

Warm Sweet-Potato Pudding with Apples and Chestnuts

Serves8
  • Active Time:25 min
  • Start to Finish:2 1/2 hrs
January 2008
Think of the best sweet-potato pie you've ever eaten and then take away the crust so you can revel solely in its silky goodness. A bite of this pudding is full and round, with hits of chestnut and dried fruit.
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
  • 1 cup bottled cooked chestnuts or dried chestnuts
  • 3/4 cup dried apple slices, cut into 1/3-inch dice
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup mild honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (preferably Ceylon)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 4 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • Accompaniment:

    lightly sweetened whipped cream
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
  • Bake sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan until very soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, soak dried chestnuts (if using) in boiling-hot water 1 hour, then drain. Coarsely chop chestnuts (cooked or dried).
  • While dried chestnuts soak, bring dried apple and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan, then turn off heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes. Drain off and discard apple juice.
  • Cool baked potatoes to warm, then peel and mash with a potato masher. Transfer 2 cups mashed sweet potato to a bowl and reserve any remainder for another use.
  • Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
  • Whisk butter and sugars into warm sweet potato along with honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, cream, and milk, then dates, chestnuts, and apple. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish (1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) until just set, 40 to 50 minutes (center will continue to set as it cools).
  • Cool to warm on a rack, about 20 minutes.
Cooks' notes: Sweet potatoes can be baked and mashed 1 day ahead. Chill, covered.
Chestnuts can be soaked, drained, and chopped 1 day ahead. Chill, covered.
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