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Boniatillo cubain

Name: Boniatillo cubain
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: CU
Ingredients: 1 kg boniato (white sweet potato), peeled and cut into chunks; 2 litres water, for boiling; 1/2 tsp salt; 300 g granulated sugar; 200 ml water, for the syrup; 1 cinnamon stick, preferably Ceylon; 1 strip lemon or lime peel; 2 egg yolks; 30 g unsalted butter; 60 ml dry sherry wine (jerez seco) or dry white wine; to serve ground cinnamon

20m

Prépa

45m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Un dessert cubain soyeux à base de patate douce blanche, sucre, cannelle et un trait de xérès.

#cuban#dessert#sweet-potato#boniato#cinnamon#sherry#comfort-food

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories390

protein3g

carbs78g

fat7g

fiber4g

Par portion

Étapes

Boil the boniato

Put the boniato chunks in a large pot, cover with the water and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes.

1 kg boniato
2 litres water
1/2 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : a knife slides into the chunks with no resistance

⏱22:30

Mash until silky

Drain the boniato very well and mash it while it is still hot, since it mashes much more smoothly warm than cold. For the silkiest texture, push the mash through a sieve or food mill to remove any fibrous bits.

1 kg boiled boniato (from step 1)

✅ C'est prêt quand : the mash is completely smooth, with no lumps or strings

Make the syrup

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Combine and cook down

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Temper the yolks

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Finish with sherry and serve

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Boil the boniato

Put the boniato chunks in a large pot, cover with the water and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes.

1 kg boniato
2 litres water
1/2 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : a knife slides into the chunks with no resistance

⏱22:30

Mash until silky

1 kg boiled boniato (from step 1)

✅ C'est prêt quand : the mash is completely smooth, with no lumps or strings

Make the syrup

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Combine and cook down

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Temper the yolks

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Finish with sherry and serve

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Cuba, island-wide📅 Colonial era to present🍠 CU

Boniatillo descends from Spanish egg-and-sugar desserts brought to the island during colonial times, adapted by Cuban cooks who swapped in boniato, the starchy white sweet potato grown across the island, in place of the usual flour or bread base. Over generations it became a staple of home kitchens and holiday tables, especially around Christmas and Nochebuena.

Every Cuban family has its own small variations, some adding more egg yolks for richness, others leaving them out entirely, but the backbone of sweet potato, sugar, cinnamon and a splash of sherry stays the same.

⭐ Why It's Famous

It is one of the most beloved traditional Cuban desserts, prized for its silky texture and warm cinnamon-and-sherry flavour, often served in small glasses after a big family meal.

💡 Fun Fact

Boniato is not the same vegetable as the orange sweet potato common in the United States; its drier, starchier flesh is what gives boniatillo its characteristic thick, pudding-like texture rather than a wetter, more fibrous one.

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