Baek Jong-won's Crispy Sweet Potato Sweet Potato Recipe: The Charm of Korean Dessert

The fantastic combination of a crispy exterior and a moist interior—that's Sweet Potato Candy (고구마 맛탕). Considered a representative Korean dessert, sweet potato candy is a snack loved by people of all ages. Using chef Baek Jong-won's recipe ensures a delicious result every time. With a crispy exterior and warm interior, this cold outside, hot inside (겉은 차갑고 속은 뜨거운) sweet potato candy is packed with charm. Let's delve into how to make it.

Sweet Potato Candy Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes (고구마) 2 (500g)
• Cooking Oil (식용유) 1/4 cup (40g)
• Sugar (설탕) 1/3 cup (60g)
• Frying Oil (튀김용 식용유) As needed

How to Make Sweet Potato Candy

1. Preparing the Sweet Potatoes

First, thoroughly wash the sweet potatoes and prepare them to be used with their skins on. The skins are rich in nutrients, so it's better to cook them without peeling. Cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. The key is to cut them into appropriately sized pieces; if you cut them too thick, they will take longer to cook.

2. Frying the Sweet Potatoes

Preheat the frying oil to approximately 160-180°C. This temperature is ideal for ensuring the sweet potatoes cook thoroughly inside while maintaining a crispy exterior. To check the oil temperature, drop in a piece of sweet potato. If bubbles rise and it begins to fry, the temperature is right.

Fry the sweet potatoes until golden brown, then remove them and drain the oil using a colander. Spread the fried sweet potatoes on a large plate to cool, ensuring they don't overlap.

3. Making the Sugar Syrup

In a pan, add 1/4 cup of cooking oil and 1/3 cup of sugar, and melt them slowly over low heat. Important: Do not stir until the sugar is completely melted. As the sugar melts and naturally begins to turn caramel-colored, gently swirl the pan to mix evenly.

4. Coating the Sweet Potatoes with Syrup

Once the sugar syrup is ready, add the fried sweet potatoes to the pan and mix thoroughly. Using two spatulas, carefully mix to evenly coat the sweet potatoes with syrup.

5. Finishing and Completion

Place the sweet potatoes one by one on a large plate lightly oiled. It's important to leave space between them so they don't stick together. This helps maintain a neat shape as the syrup hardens.

Once the syrup has completely hardened and the sweet potato candy has become crispy, transfer it to a serving plate. It's complete!

The Charm and Tips of Sweet Potato Candy

Chef Baek Jong-won's sweet potato candy (백종원표 고구마 맛탕) is characterized by its non-stickiness, making it easy to eat. The sugar syrup coats it neatly, and one bite reveals the crispy exterior and warm, moist interior of the sweet potato.

For an extra crispy texture, you can fry the sweet potatoes twice. Also, adding a little brown rice syrup instead of all sugar creates a smoother, more subtle sweetness.

There's no Korean dessert (한국식 디저트) as simple and delicious as sweet potato candy. It requires no special ingredients, only basic ones readily available at home, making it easy to make even on busy days.

With its crispy texture and sweet flavor, try making sweet potato candy today. Using Baek Jong-won's recipe guarantees a perfect result without worry!