Sweet Potato Pudding

Sweet potato pudding is a baked dessert of grated sweet potato, coconut milk and spices. It is a traditional dessert of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, made in the Caribbean style, and in parts of the wider Caribbean a similar dish is called pone.

What it really is

Sweet potato is grated raw, then mixed with coconut milk, sugar, butter, ground nutmeg and cinnamon. The mixture goes into a baking dish and is baked until it sets into a soft, moist pudding. The sweet potato gives the body and most of the sweetness, while the coconut milk adds richness and a mild, creamy flavour that sets the pudding apart from a plain baked sweet potato. Sugar and spice levels differ from cook to cook, so two versions of the same pudding can taste quite different.

How it's served

• Cut into portions or spooned out of the baking dish.
• Served as a dessert, usually at the end of a meal.
• Eaten with a spoon or fork.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, sweet potato, and say that it is baked with coconut milk.
• Flag milk, since the classic recipe uses butter.
• Name the coconut milk on the menu so guests with coconut or nut allergies can ask.
• Confirm any extra ingredients, such as eggs or a nut topping, before you list allergens, since kitchens vary.
• Name the spices, nutmeg and cinnamon, and state the sugar level if you offer a lower-sugar version.