Okinawan Sweet Potato Scone
This Okinawan Sweet Potato Scone is the perfect Asian twist to a European breakfast treat.
Equipment
- 1 5-quart pot
- 1 Colander
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Large baking sheet
- 1 pastry cutter
- 1 parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- 1 large cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Okinawan sweet potato boiled and mashed (about 1 large potato)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup for dusting cutting board
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ cup honey
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter diced into cubes
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Wash and put the Okinawan sweet potato in a small pot with cold water. Put on burner with the cover on and set heat to high. Once water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium high and cook for 25 to 45 minutes (depending on the potato thickness) or until the potato is fork tender. (You can do this step ahead of time, like the night before you plan to bake.)
- Drain the potato and let cool until you can hold it with your hand to peel. Peel and mash the potato in a medium bowl once it’s cool.
- While the potato is cooling (or right when you plan to start gathering ingredients to bake), put the distilled vinegar in your milk for at least 10 minutes to make homemade “buttermilk”.
- Place the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl until well combined. Cut butter cubes into flour mixture with the pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse meal.
- Mix egg, honey, and “buttermilk” together until well mixed.
- Add sweet potato and egg mixture to flour and butter mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour the mixture/dough onto a very well-floured cutting board. You will have to knead the dough for a few minutes for it to come together. You may need more than ¼ cup of flour for this if its' very humid. Once the dough is no longer extremely wet and sticky, shape it into a round circle about 8 inches thick.
- Cut the dough into 8 triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes, if you can wait that long!
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Can I swap the Okinawan sweet potato for other sweet potatoes?
Yes, feel free to use any sweet potato.
How to keep butter cold?
Cut your butter into cubes then put it back in the refrigerator or put it in the freezer if it’s a hot day. Do not take it out until you are ready to cut it into the flour mixture.
Can I use other types of milk substitutes or regular animal milk?
Yes, other milk substitutes and regular animal milk work great in this recipe. A tasty combination would be coconut milk since coconut goes well with Okinawan sweet potato.
Can I make this dairy free?
Yes, use vegan butter instead of regular butter! I find the version with vegan butter is moister than the version with butter. I've also used many different milk substitutes (see above).
Can I make this ahead of time?
I like to prepare the ingredients and cook the Okinawan sweet potato the night before I plan to bake. That way in the morning I just add the wet ingredients to the dry while the oven is preheating. While it’s baking, I can clean up and get ready for the day before a warm breakfast.
Enjoy leftovers kept in the fridge for up to three days. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. To warm it up, use the toaster oven or oven at 350 degrees and warm for 8 to 10 minutes; add 5 to 10 minutes if warming them from frozen.
What if I don’t have a pastry cutter?
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use a fork or a food processor. Just know that you must work longer with a fork (for obvious reasons), or more quickly with a food processor because you risk heating the butter too much. You may want to freeze your butter cubes to help prevent melting.
Do I need to use “buttermilk” for this recipe?
I strongly recommend it. Using buttermilk or other things that have high acid in them (e.g., yogurt, sour cream, etc.) will help to keep your sweet potatoes a nice bright purple. Otherwise, your scone may turn green in the oven, and even darker green the next day. It’s for this same reason that we but very little baking soda in this recipe; baking soda will also turn your sweet potatoes green.
What can I use instead of honey?
Use 1/8 cup of palm sugar or coconut sugar if you like very lightly sweetened treats. If you like sweeter baked goods, use ¼ cup of palm sugar or coconut sugar.