In Spanish cazuela usually refers to an earthen dish used to cook food. In Puerto Rico, where I’m from, cazuela is a sort of crustless sweet potato pie often wrapped in banana leaves before being cooked. This recipe is baked in a loaf pan and makes a simple, super soothing dish. The cazuela, minus the coconut sauce, is also delicious for breakfast.
Ingredients:
For the Cazuela:
1 pound sweet potatoes
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar or coconut sugar
¼ cup flour - all purpose, gluten free, oat - they all work
½ cup butter, melted
¼ cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon fresh, grated ginger
Preheat the oven to 350°
Grease a small loaf pan and set aside.
Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into medium sized pieces, and boil them until they are completely cooked trough and very tender. Drain them and let them cool slightly.
Blend the sweet potato, sugar, coconut milk, and butter in a blender until smooth.
Blend in the spices and eggs. Add the flour and blend again. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake on the middle rack for about 45 minutes. It is ready when it's completely set. Cool.
For the Coconut Creme Anglaise:
2 large eggs 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk 1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the sugar and salt, and whisk until well combined and slightly pale in color. In a medium saucepan bring the coconut milk and cream to a gentle boil; remove from heat. Slowly ladle the hot-milk mixture into the egg mixture while simultaneously whisking the eggs. By whisking while you slowly add the hot mixture you are acclimating the eggs to the heat and ensuring that the eggs don't scramble a bit from the heat. Return the mixture to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and hold a line drawn by your finger, about 5 minutes. Pass mixture through a colander into a bowl. Chill.
This anglaise is amazing with some rum in it. Also, I think it’s yummiest when it’s on the saltier side of sweet. If that sounds good to you add a little more salt.
To serve:
Run a knife through the edges of the pan. Using a cutting board flip the loaf pan. Slice and serve it in a pool of the coconut anglaise.