Crispy & Sweet Sweet Potato Candies (Air Fryer Method)
Make Sweet Potato Candies Easily with an Air Fryer: Crispy Outside, Chewy Inside!
Try making these sweet and chewy sweet potato candies even more conveniently using your air fryer. With a crispy exterior and a moist, chewy interior, they are a beloved snack for all ages. You can easily recreate the taste of freshly fried candies right at home.
Sweet Potato Candy Ingredients- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup (oligosaccharide)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp water
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The key to delicious sweet potato candies is removing starch! Peel the 3 sweet potatoes and cut them into bite-sized cubes, about 2-3 cm. Soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for about 20 minutes to remove excess starch. This step is crucial for achieving a wonderfully crispy texture after cooking.
Step 2
After soaking, drain the sweet potatoes thoroughly in a sieve. Gently pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth. Residual moisture can cause oil splattering during cooking and make the sweet potatoes soggy, so be diligent with this drying step.
Step 3
Place the completely dried sweet potato cubes into a resealable bag or a large bowl. Drizzle 3 Tbsp of cooking oil over the sweet potatoes. Seal the bag tightly and shake, or use a spatula to gently toss them in the bowl, ensuring each piece is lightly coated with oil. This coating helps the sweet potatoes crisp up in the air fryer and allows for a healthier snack with less oil.
Step 4
Arrange the oil-coated sweet potato cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap. Air fry at 200℃ (390℉) for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully shake the basket to toss the sweet potatoes, then return them to the air fryer and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Cooking times and temperatures may vary slightly depending on your air fryer model.
Step 5
After about 20 minutes of cooking, the sweet potatoes should be golden brown and look appetizing. The goal is not just to cook them through, but to achieve a slightly firm and ‘crispy’ exterior. This crispness is the secret to a great sweet potato candy. You’ll know they’re ready when a fork pierces them easily but the outside feels slightly firm.
Step 6
Let the air-fried sweet potatoes cool slightly. Now, it’s time to make the sweet syrup, the heart of the candy. In a pan, combine 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp corn syrup (oligosaccharide), and 3 Tbsp water. Cook over low heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to form. Keeping the heat low is essential to prevent burning.
Step 7
Once the syrup starts to bubble, carefully add the air-fried sweet potatoes that have cooled slightly. Be cautious as the syrup will be hot.
Step 8
Continue to cook over low heat, gently stirring the sweet potatoes with a spatula so they are evenly coated with the sweet syrup. When the syrup starts to thicken slightly and coats the sweet potatoes, turn off the heat. Be careful not to overcook, as the syrup can harden too much and become brittle.
Step 9
Transfer the coated sweet potatoes to a serving dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish. While black sesame seeds would add a nice visual touch (and were unavailable for this specific preparation), regular sesame seeds work perfectly. Your crispy, chewy, and deliciously sweet sweet potato candies are now ready to enjoy!
