Okinawan Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie

So I ran across some sweet purple potatoes (Okinawan Sweet Potatoes) at a Korean supermarket a couple weeks back and started what I do best - hoarding. I grabbed an armful of these purple gems and smiled to myself thinking about eating fresh baked sweet potatoes... just like my mom makes them. Of course, after eating sweet potatoes for a few days in a row, D and I were completely sick of them so now i have extra potatoes. Found this interesting recipe on the web so decided to try it since it sounded like a nice, fresh and not overly-sweet dessert despite the sweet potato part.

First Comes the Crust...

1/2 sticks of unsalted butter

1/8 cup tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour1 cup nuts, chopped (I think the original called for macadamia nuts, but i put in pecans and almonds instead)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

If you have a food processor, you should just start by pulsing the nuts until they're roughly chopped. It's okay if they're big chunks since you'll be pulsing some more. Add in the flour and sugar, give it a pulse and start adding the butter. Let it mix until it's crumbly. Press lightly into a 13" x 9" baking pan. (I used a normal springform pan)

Bake at 350°F for ~ 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.

Then comes the sweet potato filling...

2 cups Okinawan sweet potatoes, cooked and whipped

1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Next, fold in whipped Okinawan sweet potatoes. Then, add in milk, vanilla and salt. Continue to mix until well combined. Mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter. Pour onto crust and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Then the Haupia Layer...

*Haupia is a Hawaiin dessert that is coconut-based. It's basically a thicker coconut milk jello.

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

1 12-ounce cans coconut milk, defrosted (you can use two cans if you like a strong coconut flavor, I went with one for a lighter coconut taste)

In a 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 is thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Let cool slightly, then pour over Okinawan sweet potato mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 4-5 hours, overnight is best.

Cut into squares and enjoy!