JAMAICAN SWEET POTATO PUDDING

Down our way it’s sweet potato pie on the holiday dessert table.  This pudding looks for all the world like the traditional pie, but wait ‘til you have a bite.  Very full of island spices, a little coconut—and it wouldn’t be an island specialty without more than a few drops of rum.  A bit of fussy prep, but the result is a taste and texture worth the effort.

Pudding:

• ½ c. dry, grated coconut
• 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes plus ½ lb of yams
• 3 tblsps grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tblsp cinnamon
• 2 tblsp vanilla
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup golden raisins, boiled briefly in 3 tblsp dark rum, then left to soak

Topping:

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tblsp sugar
• ½ cup coconut milk

Soak dry coconut in hot water for 20 minutes, then squeeze out water.  Make topping by boiling combined ingredients for about 10 minutes, to reduce by half.  Let cool. 

Peel sweet potatoes, yams and ginger—grate all, using food processor large hole top.  Simmer cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla in 1 cup water for 2 minutes.  Then pour into sweet potatoes, along with coconut milk and butter.  Beat with hand mixer until fully combined.  In a separate bowl combine cornmeal, flour, rehydrated coconut, sugar and salt.  Add to sweet potato mixture and continue to beat with mixer.  Add raisins in rum and stir.  Grease and thoroughly line a 10” springform pan with parchment paper—preheat oven to 350’.  Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven, add topping and bake for 15 more minutes.  A toothpick in center should come out clean when done—texture will be like pumpkin pie with stiff filling.  Cool for ½ hour and remove ring.  Cool for 2 more hours on wire rack.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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