Sweet Potato Dessert (Dulce de Batata)
A thick, glossy sweet potato pudding slow-cooked with coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves and raisins until it turns deep caramel in colour. A beloved Dominican home dessert, best served warm with a slice of white cheese on the side.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Grate the sweet potato
Peel the and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater, or cut it into very small dice. Grating lets it break down evenly into a smooth paste as it cooks instead of staying in lumps.
- 1.2 kg , peeled
✅ Done when: all the batata is shredded into fine, even pieces
Simmer in spiced water
Put the grated , water, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel in a wide, heavy pot (so moisture evaporates faster). Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 1.2 kg grated (from step 1)
- 500 ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 strip orange peel
✅ Done when: the batata is soft and most of the water has been absorbed
Add coconut milk and sugar
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Add raisins and reduce
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Finish and rest
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Serve
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Grate the sweet potato
Peel the and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater, or cut it into very small dice. Grating lets it break down evenly into a smooth paste as it cooks instead of staying in lumps.
- 1.2 kg , peeled
✅ Done when: all the batata is shredded into fine, even pieces
Simmer in spiced water
Put the grated , water, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel in a wide, heavy pot (so moisture evaporates faster). Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 1.2 kg grated (from step 1)
- 500 ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 strip orange peel
✅ Done when: the batata is soft and most of the water has been absorbed
Add coconut milk and sugar
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Add raisins and reduce
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Finish and rest
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
The batata was already a staple crop of the Taíno people long before Europeans arrived, grown throughout the island for its sweet, starchy root. After colonization, Dominican cooks began simmering it with sugar, cinnamon and cloves brought from Spain, and coconut milk reflecting the island's African and Caribbean influences, turning a humble root into a festive dessert.
Today dulce de batata is a staple of Dominican home kitchens, especially around Christmas and Lent, when families prepare large batches to share with neighbours and guests.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for its deep caramel flavour and velvety texture, and for the classic Dominican habit of eating it with a slice of salty white cheese to balance the sweetness.
💡 Fun Fact
The English word 'potato' actually traces back to 'batata', the Taíno name for this very root, even though it later became attached to the unrelated white potato from the Andes.
Dominican Republic
18.49°N, -69.93°W
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