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Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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There is a Barbecue spot in Harlem, New York that I used to frequent called Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. All of the food there is incredible, but they have these whipped sweet potatoes that are to die for, and I have always wanted to recreate them at home. That is how I came up with these Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes. They are topped with candied walnuts (as an homage to the potatoes at Dinosaur), and sweetened with honey. The brown butter adds a nuttiness and another dimension to the flavors already present. This only takes a little over an hour to make, which makes it a great side to pair with slow cooked dinners. I’ve paired this with braised short ribs before, and it was amazing!

Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Video Tutorial

What You’ll Need for Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

There are two components to this recipe, the mashed sweet potatoes & the candied walnut topping. Here’s what you’ll need for each.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

  1. Sweet Potatoes: These should be medium sized. They will be roasted in a 400°F oven, and pricked with a fork to release steam while they roast.
  2. Heavy Cream: This is sometimes labeled as “Heavy Whipping Cream”. The heavy cream brings richness to the potatoes. The cream is heated with the brown butter, cinnamon, and honey.
  3. Unsalted Butter: We’re using this to make brown-butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and continue to cook on a medium low flame until the butter starts to smell nutty and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. Be careful here because the butter can go from brown to burnt quickly!
  4. Cinnamon: Heated with the heavy cream, honey, and brown butter to bloom the flavors of the spice.
  5. Honey: The touch of sweetness that takes these mashed sweet potatoes from good, to great! It is not overly sweet at all. There is a perfect balance here.

Candied Walnut Topping

  1. Walnuts: These walnuts should be out of their shells.
  2. Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is what will be used in this recipe.
  3. Unsalted Butter
  4. Cinnamon & Cayenne: Both are optional, but the flavors play very well with the sweet potatoes.
Honey Brown-Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a white bowl topped with candied walnuts in a white bowl with gold cutlery.

Sweet Potato Q&A’s

Can I boil the sweet potatoes?

I would highly suggest roasting them instead of boiling. Here’s the reason why: When the potatoes are boiled, they start to absorb the water they’re in and start to lose their flavor. When they are roasted, the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes start to caramelize, and the flavors are heightened.

Do I have to add the heavy cream to the saucepan with the butter?

Yes!! Don’t skip this step. Cold cream does not incorporate as well as hot cream with the sweet potatoes. The hot cream with stop the mixture from curdling once added.

Can I roast the potatoes in advance?

You can, however, the potatoes must be hot when incorporating the cream/butter mixture. It is better to peel the potatoes while they’re still hot, but not too hot to handle.

Honey Brown-Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a white bowl topped with candied walnuts in a white bowl with gold cutlery.

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Honey Brown-Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a white bowl topped with candied walnuts in a white bowl with gold cutlery.

Honey-Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

  • Author: Speshyl
  • Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
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Description

Rich and creamy mashed sweet potatoes given subtle sweetness with honey, nuttiness from brown butter, & topped with spiced candied walnuts.

Scale

Ingredients

Honey-Brown Butter Sweet Potato Mash

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup honey

Candied Walnut Topping

  • 1 cup walnuts, shelled
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick each sweet potato with a fork four times, and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place in the oven and bake for one hour, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking.
  2. To prepare the candied walnuts, placed walnuts, butter, sugar, cayenne, and cinnamon into a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir with a spatula continuously until the sugar starts to melt. Make sure each walnut is evenly coated with the melted sugar, and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Working quickly, using a spatula or a fork, separate the nuts from one another so they don’t stick together in clumps. They will begin to cool and harden instantly. They will take about five minutes to set.
  4. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
  5. Melt butter in a small sauce pan until it starts to brown and smell nutty. Add honey, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat.
  6. Peel potatoes and place into a large bowl. Using a potato ricer or a masher mash the potatoes until desired consistency is reached. Pour in honey-brown butter and mix until well incorporated.
  7. Chop candied walnuts and sprinkle on top to serve.
  • Category: Sides

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