Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Dessert Recipes

Steps:

• 1. CRUST: Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Add the chopped nuts and the butter. Cut the mixture with two butter knives, pulling them across each other in a scissor motion until the crust mixture is crumbly and no large butter chunks remain.
• 2. Press the crust mixture onto the bottom of a pie pan, continuing up the sides of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator.
• 3. SWEET POTATO LAYER: In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add egg one at a time, mixing after adding each egg. Add half of the sweet potatoes, mixing thoroughly. Add the other half and mix again. Mix in the evaporated milk, vanilla and salt.
• 4. Spread the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust, do not add too much, it should fill the pie crust no higher than 1/2 an inch from the top edge of the crust so that we have room for the haupia layer.
• 5. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the edge of the crust is golden and the potato filling is lightly browning in spots.
• 6. HAUPIA LAYER: When the cooked pie has cooled. Begin preparing the haupia layer. You do not want to start preparing the haupia too early or it will solidify.
• 7. Place the coconut milk and the water in a saucepan, but do not turn on the heat just yet. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl then add it to the liquids. Turn the heat on to medium, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
• 8. Immediately pour the haupia mixture over the sweet potato layer and return the pie to the refrigerator to chill for several hours.

Steps:

• Wash the outer skin of the Okinawan sweet potato, then boil for 30-45 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat, peel, and mash. Set aside.
• CRUST layer (start working on this layer while the sweet potatoes are cooking): In medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, and nuts.
• Cut butter into flour mixture until texture is sandy.
• Press lightly into 9 x 13 baking pan.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
• SWEET POTATO Layer: Combine evaporated milk, vanilla and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs.
• Gradually mix in the mashed sweet potatoes.
• Add the evaporated milk mixture.
• Pour onto crust layer.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool.
• HAUPIA Layer: Combine sugar and cornstarch. Add water.
• Pour coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Add sugar mixture. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thickened. Allow to cool slightly.
• Pour coconut milk mixture over pie filling and refrigerate until set.
• Cut into bars or diamonds and serve. I personally find the crust better the next day.
• Optional: Just before cutting, add a layer of Cool Whip.
• Cooking Okinawan Sweet Potatoes (from cooks.com): Please note that the potato size may affect cooking times and that the purple will turn brownish when exposed to air. BAKE: Poke some holes in it with fork. Bake in 400 degree oven for 30-60 minutes until it tests soft when pierced with a fork. STEAM: Poke a few holes in washed potato. Steam 30-45 minutes until tender. MICROWAVE: Cut in half lengthwise. Put the cut side down in 1/2-1 inch of water. Microwave on high 5-7 minutes. I've also seen a suggestion to start it off with a few minutes of microwaving before wrapping in foil and baking in the oven.

Steps:

• To Make the Shortbread Crust.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together.
• Add the eggs one at a time, making sure that the eggs are well incorporated after each addition.
• Add flour slowly.
• Add vanilla and chopped macadamia nuts.
• Press the dough down onto an ungreased 9 X 13 pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Shortbread will not brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK!
• Let cool.
• Start on the Okinawan Sweet Potato Pie Filling:.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel and dice (about 1-inch cubes) the Okinawan Sweet Potato and steam until tender and dark purple.
• Whip the potatoes until fluffy. If you prefer a chunkier style of pie, mash the potatoes to your preference. Set aside to allow to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very fluffy.
• Add in eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated.
• Mix in milk, vanilla and salt.
• Fold the potatoes into the butter mixture. It should have the consistency of pancake batter.
• Pour onto the baked crust and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let it cool down to room temperature.
• To make the Haupia topping.
• In a thick-bottomed pot, heat the coconut milk until it is warm.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch.
• Add water to the bowl.
• Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened. (about 5-7 minutes).
• Let the mixture cool slightly, and pour it over the baked sweet potato pie layer.
• Refrigerate overnight.