1cup
mashed sweet potatoes (one large potato)
9
egg yokes
¾
cup
superfine white
sugar plus 6 tablespoons
1
quart
heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325º. Wash sweet potato and poke
with fork. Rub with olive oil and bake until tender and end of potato is
black. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut potato in half and
scoop out flesh. Put in bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together egg yolks and sugar with a whisk
until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
Pour cream into a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring
cream to a brief simmer, do not boil or it will overflow. Remove from heat and
temper the yolks by gradually whisking the hot cream into yolk and sugar
mixture. Do not add hot cream too quickly or the eggs will cook.
Add mashed sweet potatoes.
Divide custard into 6 (6-ounce) ramekins, about 3/4 full. Place
ramekins in a roasting pan and fill pan with enough water to come halfway up
the sides of the ramekins. Bake until barely set around the edges, about 40
minutes. You may want to cover loosely with foil to prevent browning. Remove
from oven and cool to room temperature. Transfer the ramekins to the
refrigerator and chill for 2 hours.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of each chilled
custard. Hold a kitchen torch 2 inches above surface to brown the sugar
and form a crust. Garnish with cookies and fresh fruit. Serve at once.
