Simple Baked Sweet Potatoes Using a Dutch Oven
Effortlessly Make Delicious Baked Sweet Potatoes in a Dutch Oven in Just 40 Minutes & An Amazing Sweet Potato Brûlée Variation
Do you love sweet potatoes? If you have a Dutch oven, you can easily make wonderfully baked sweet potatoes right at home. They’ll be perfectly tender and delightfully sweet, just like store-bought but even better! As a bonus, we’ll share our family’s special treat: a delicious sweet potato brûlée made without custard cream. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the rich, sweet flavor of sweet potatoes in a whole new way!
For Moist Baked Sweet Potatoes- 3-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp water
For Sweet Potato Brûlée (Optional)- 50ml milk
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 50ml milk
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly wash the sweet potatoes, the stars of this recipe. Use a brush or baking soda to ensure all dirt is removed. Aren’t they looking wonderfully plump and fresh? Now, pour 2 tablespoons of water into the bottom of your Dutch oven. Then, line the bottom with parchment paper or a kitchen towel. This step helps prevent the sweet potatoes from sticking and adds extra moisture during cooking.
Step 2
Place the parchment paper (or kitchen towel) over the water in the Dutch oven, and then arrange the washed sweet potatoes on top. The layering should be: Dutch oven – water – parchment paper – sweet potatoes. Any brand of Dutch oven will work perfectly, whether it’s Le Creuset, Staub, Vermicular, or another. The key is that it’s a Dutch oven known for its excellent heat retention.
Step 3
Cover the Dutch oven with its lid securely and place it on your stovetop. For the first 5 minutes, use medium-high heat to preheat the pot itself. This isn’t about cooking the sweet potatoes yet, but rather about getting the pot to a good, even temperature. After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to low and let them cook for 40 minutes. Cooking on low heat allows the sweet potatoes to become tender and moist all the way through.
Step 4
For medium-sized sweet potatoes, 40 minutes should be plenty. If you’re using larger ones, you might need a bit more time, or you can check for doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the thickest part. If it slides in smoothly, they’re perfectly cooked! When you split one open, you’ll see a beautiful golden interior that’s tender and moist, with a delightful baked texture.
Step 5
For a special treat beyond simple baked sweet potatoes, try making the sweet potato brûlée! Let the baked sweet potatoes cool slightly, then mash them smoothly with 50ml of milk using a blender or a fork. Transfer the mashed sweet potato mixture into heatproof ramekins or ceramic dishes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the surface of each. Now, use a kitchen torch to carefully caramelize the sugar until it forms a beautiful golden-brown crust. When you crack through the crispy caramel layer and enjoy it with the sweet potato underneath, the combination is absolutely divine! You can create a café-worthy dessert right in your own kitchen!
