Camotillos is a traditional Chilean sweet, very old and scarce nowadays.
Camotillos are sweets or candies made from thick sweet potato puree and sugar. After cooking it to a paste, shape it into a wedge and bake it to dry it slightly on the outside. Although nowadays it is scarce, it is part of the sweet national heritage.
Camotillos are one of the old Chilean sweets that will disappear if we don’t start making them at home. Although they are laborious, the final result is so rich. I felt at home eating them.
The ones in the photo look different from the Chilean classics because the variety of sweet potato sold here in the US everywhere is like this, intense orange, more similar to sweet potato squash.
The right sweet potatoes are Japanese with a yellow/white interior and purple skin.
These candies require patience and care so as not to burn yourself and so as not to break them.
I’ve tried several quick-dry options in the oven, but none are better than or equal to air-drying, so that’s what I recommend in the recipe—turning them so that they dry all around. Drying will be faster if you live in a dry and hot climate.
Chilean Camotillos
An old scarce Chilean candy.
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 30 camotillos
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Candy
- Method: Oven/Stove
- Cuisine: Chilean
Keywords: Chilean Camotillos
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