okinawan sweet potato haupia pie
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Ani's Bakery's Okinawan sweet potato haupia pie is what we were aiming for. It is my daughter's favorite dessert, and as far as we know, it is the only place that one can get such an amazing, fabulous mouthful of ono. This is happy food.
In this case, pretty darn close is good enough. Because they won't ship it. Because you can't hand-carry it home. Because even in Hawaii, they sell out of it, usually around 2PM. My daughter and her friends made a bar-style version, and all was right in the world. It is a three-part recipe, so best to do on a weekend because the layers need to settle. |
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Crust
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter 1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped Salted is OK here, just not garlic-flavored!) Okinawan Sweet Potato 2 cups (about medium-sized) Okinawan sweet potatoes 1 stick of unsalted butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup milk (non-fat) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt |
Haupia
1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water 2 12-ounce cans coconut milk You can also use the standalone haupia recipe as well. Optional (but highly recommended) Fresh whipped cream Toasted coconut flakes (as long as you don't start a fire) Any leftover chopped macadamia nuts from the crust |
Making Crust
Whisk together sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add macadamia nuts and mix well. Press into a 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 12-17 minutes, until just lightly browned. Set aside.
Okinawan Sweet Potato
Boil the sweet potatoes until fully cooked--so that you can easily pierce them through and through. They should be a very deep purple color in the center. Peel, mash and then whip so that they are fluffy. Let them cool.
Cream butter and sugar in a mixer (Kitchenaid if you have one) and then add the eggs. Mix in the now cooled whipped Okinawan sweet potatoes. Add milk, heavy cream, vanilla and salt. It will be a homogenous, poi-colored, fairly viscous batter. Pour onto crust and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely.
Haupia
In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat coconut milk on low until warmed through. Slowly add in sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly until coconut milk mixture starts to thicken. Let cool slightly, then pour over now-cooled sweet potato + crust layers. Refrigerate until firm, ideally overnight.
Cut into small wedges, add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Be immensely happy.
NOTES:
1. It is very important to cook the Okinawan sweet potatoes thoroughly. They do not get sweet or turn that beautiful deep purple color unless they are completely cooked.
2. It is also very important to cool the crust + cooked sweet potato completely so that the haupia doesn't get runny. It will be hard, but be patient.
3. It sounds weird, but the roasted salted macadamia nuts work out well (vs. un-salted).
4. This is a very, very rich dessert. You may want to, but don't eat big pieces.
Whisk together sugar and flour. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add macadamia nuts and mix well. Press into a 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 12-17 minutes, until just lightly browned. Set aside.
Okinawan Sweet Potato
Boil the sweet potatoes until fully cooked--so that you can easily pierce them through and through. They should be a very deep purple color in the center. Peel, mash and then whip so that they are fluffy. Let them cool.
Cream butter and sugar in a mixer (Kitchenaid if you have one) and then add the eggs. Mix in the now cooled whipped Okinawan sweet potatoes. Add milk, heavy cream, vanilla and salt. It will be a homogenous, poi-colored, fairly viscous batter. Pour onto crust and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely.
Haupia
In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat coconut milk on low until warmed through. Slowly add in sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly until coconut milk mixture starts to thicken. Let cool slightly, then pour over now-cooled sweet potato + crust layers. Refrigerate until firm, ideally overnight.
Cut into small wedges, add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Be immensely happy.
NOTES:
1. It is very important to cook the Okinawan sweet potatoes thoroughly. They do not get sweet or turn that beautiful deep purple color unless they are completely cooked.
2. It is also very important to cool the crust + cooked sweet potato completely so that the haupia doesn't get runny. It will be hard, but be patient.
3. It sounds weird, but the roasted salted macadamia nuts work out well (vs. un-salted).
4. This is a very, very rich dessert. You may want to, but don't eat big pieces.