Sweet Potato Fondant Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Cut off ends of russet potatoes, stand potatoes on end, and peel potatoes from top to bottom with a sharp knife to make each potato into a uniform cylinder. Cut each cylinder in half crosswise to make 6 potato cylinders about 2 inches long.
• Place potatoes into a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to remove starch from outsides; pat dry with paper towels.
• Place a heavy oven-proof skillet (such as a cast iron skillet) over high heat. Pour in vegetable oil; heat oil until it shimmers slightly.
• Place potato cylinders with best-looking ends into the hot oil, lower heat to medium-high, and pan-fry potatoes until well-browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Flip the potatoes onto the opposite ends. As they cook, use a paper towel held with tongs to carefully blot out the oil from the skillet. Add butter and thyme sprigs to skillet.
• Pick up a thyme sprig with tongs and use it to paint butter over the top of the potatoes. Cook until butter foams and foam turns from white to a pale tan color. Season with more salt and pepper. Pour chicken stock into skillet.
• Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook until potatoes are tender and creamy inside, about 30 minutes. If potatoes aren't tender, add 1/4 cup more stock and let cook 10 more minutes.
• Place potatoes on a serving platter and spoon thyme-scented butter remaining in skillet over potatoes. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Slice the ends off the potatoes so they lie flat on either side.
• Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. When hot, add the potatoes cut-side down. Fry for 5-7 mins, or until deep golden brown, then flip and fry on the other side. Add the butter to the pan to melt.
• Scatter the garlic and herbs around the potatoes and season well. Carefully pour the stock around the veg, being aware of any hot butter that may splash out. Cover and simmer gently for 25-30 mins, or until the potatoes are tender, then serve.

Steps:

• Peel the sweet potatoes and trim down until they are (3in) long so you are left with cylindrical sections. Place these on your chopping board and cut each one into (3/4in) slices, then use a straight-sided cutter to stamp out (1 1/2in) rounds.
• Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter and oil. Add the sweet potato discs and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden. Season to taste and pour in enough stock to come three-quarters of the way up the sweet potatoes.
• Add the thyme sprigs to the fondants, then increase the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes without moving the potatoes, until all of the stock mixture has gone and the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Turn the discs over carefully with a spatula. You will notice that the bottoms have started to brown and caramelise. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned and completely tender.
• Note: Make the sweet potato fondants up to 2 days in advance and keep covered in the fridge until needed. Reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F for 10 minutes. They also keep well in a cool oven.