Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Pie
SKU:
Haupia in this recipe is a luxurious creamy version of the popular Hawaiian dessert. Calling it coconut pudding doesn't even begin to describe how ono this is.
A smooth layer of Okinawan sweet potato filling and macadamia nut shortbread crust complete this rich dessert. This is happy food.
PSA: Each layer needs to cool slightly, so allot an afternoon, or skip evening TV to make it. You won't be sorry.
A smooth layer of Okinawan sweet potato filling and macadamia nut shortbread crust complete this rich dessert. This is happy food.
PSA: Each layer needs to cool slightly, so allot an afternoon, or skip evening TV to make it. You won't be sorry.
Ingredients
|
Shortbread Crust Layer
3T granulated white sugar 1 ½ cups flour 1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter, almost frozen ½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped or smashed, Dry roasted, and salted is A-OK Okinawan Sweet Potato Layer 1 stick of unsalted butter ½ cup granulated sugar 2 cups (about 2) Okinawan sweet potatoes ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup non-fat milk 1t vanilla ¼t salt 2 eggs |
Haupia Layer
½ cup white sugar ½ cup cornstarch 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water 3 cups of coconut milk* (See note below) Optional Chef's Kiss (highly recommended) Toasted coconut flakes, as long as you don't start a fire Any leftover chopped macadamia nuts from the crust |
What To Do
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Step 1, Bottom Layer: Shortbread Crust
To make the shortbread crust, whisk together sugar and flour into a large bowl. Then cut the almost frozen butter into cubes. I cut the butter stick into 8 slices along the markers on the butter wrapper, and then cube each slice.
Cut butter into flour/sugar mixture until crumbly. Work fast with either a pastry cutter or a fork. You are not trying to make a homogenous dough, it's more of a crumbly, mixture with bits of butter still intact. Add macadamia nuts and mix well. Press into a 13" x 9" baking pan.
Bake at 350°F for 12-17 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside and let cool.
Step 1, Bottom Layer: Shortbread Crust
To make the shortbread crust, whisk together sugar and flour into a large bowl. Then cut the almost frozen butter into cubes. I cut the butter stick into 8 slices along the markers on the butter wrapper, and then cube each slice.
Cut butter into flour/sugar mixture until crumbly. Work fast with either a pastry cutter or a fork. You are not trying to make a homogenous dough, it's more of a crumbly, mixture with bits of butter still intact. Add macadamia nuts and mix well. Press into a 13" x 9" baking pan.
Bake at 350°F for 12-17 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside and let cool.
Color and texture, mixing in cream
Step 2 Middle Layer: Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
While the crust is baking, start boiling the sweet potatoes until fully cooked. You should be able to pierce them through and through very easily. They should be a very deep purple color in the center. Peel and mash a bit and cool potatoes until at least room temperature.
Cream butter and sugar in a Kitchenaid mixer. Add cooled mashed potatoes and mix until combined and fairly smooth. Add heavy cream, milk, vanilla and salt. At this point, have a quick taste. Add eggs one at a time, and mix until everything is combined and slightly fluffy. It will be a homogenous, deep purple-colored, fairly viscous batter.
Smooth onto crust and bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely.
Step 3 Top Layer: Haupia
Pour two cans of coconut milk into a bowl and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and sugar. Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are completely dissolved. In a heavy bottomed pot, measure out 3 cups of coconut milk and stir constantly on low until warmed through. Store the rest of the coconut milk for coffee or oatmeal.
This is the part that needs the most babysitting. Turn up the heat to medium low/medium, and slowly add in sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly. When the mixture is almost boiling, it will start to thicken. Keep stirring and adjust heat if necessary, keeping it just barely bubbling at the edges, until the haupia gets to the consistency of a thick pudding. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. It will develop a skin, but whisking will smooth it out. Spread over the now-cooled sweet potato and shortbread layers. Refrigerate until firm, ideally overnight, but at least two hours.
Cut into small wedges, sprinkle with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Be immensely happy.
While the crust is baking, start boiling the sweet potatoes until fully cooked. You should be able to pierce them through and through very easily. They should be a very deep purple color in the center. Peel and mash a bit and cool potatoes until at least room temperature.
Cream butter and sugar in a Kitchenaid mixer. Add cooled mashed potatoes and mix until combined and fairly smooth. Add heavy cream, milk, vanilla and salt. At this point, have a quick taste. Add eggs one at a time, and mix until everything is combined and slightly fluffy. It will be a homogenous, deep purple-colored, fairly viscous batter.
Smooth onto crust and bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely.
Step 3 Top Layer: Haupia
Pour two cans of coconut milk into a bowl and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and sugar. Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are completely dissolved. In a heavy bottomed pot, measure out 3 cups of coconut milk and stir constantly on low until warmed through. Store the rest of the coconut milk for coffee or oatmeal.
This is the part that needs the most babysitting. Turn up the heat to medium low/medium, and slowly add in sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly. When the mixture is almost boiling, it will start to thicken. Keep stirring and adjust heat if necessary, keeping it just barely bubbling at the edges, until the haupia gets to the consistency of a thick pudding. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. It will develop a skin, but whisking will smooth it out. Spread over the now-cooled sweet potato and shortbread layers. Refrigerate until firm, ideally overnight, but at least two hours.
Cut into small wedges, sprinkle with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Be immensely happy.
Notes and Talking Story
- Note on coconut milk: 3 cups of coconut milk unfortunately requires two 13.5-ounce cans of coconut milk. Admittedly inconvenient, I've used leftovers in coffee, with oatmeal, or dropped a few spoonfuls in with curry.
- 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.
- It is also very important to cool the crust + cooked sweet potato completely so the haupia doesn't get runny. It will be hard, but be patient.
- This is a very, very rich dessert. You may want to, but don't eat big pieces.
- Ani's Bakery's Okinawan sweet potato haupia pie, my baby birdie's favorite dessert, is what we are aiming for, from 2,500 miles away.
- My daughter and her friends came up with the bar-style form factor, and all was right in the world.
