Did you know that a sweet potato isn’t a potato? Nor is it a yam. Seems that we really have no proper name for these starchy, sweet and super nutritious orange tubers. But somehow we will have to muddle our way through.

Blackwell Roots (vendor at the Montpelier winter farmers market), decided to try growing sweet potatoes this year and was horribly disappointed when the veggie they pulled from ground was starchy and bland. But before calling it quits they decided to try curing it. After a stretch at 75 degrees or so (much warmer than onion curing temps), the bland sweet potatoes turn into delicious sweet potatoes! I don’t know the science behind this miraculous transformation, but I roasted off one of these new treats and was in heaven.

I love sweet potatoes. They were a staple in my mom’s house when I was growing up and sweet potatoes still hold a warm place in my heart. My favorite way to eat them is still to poke a few holes in the skin and then roast them at 350° F for 30-40 minutes, or until the insides are going mushy. The skin has all sorts of nutrients, so don’t forget to eat that part too! For a more interesting recipe for today, so I came up with Sweet Potato Scones. These are super tasty, and something I’m definitely going to experiment with making in my bakery. Enjoy!


Sweet Potato Scones

1 very large or 2 medium sweet potatoes
2/3 cup rolled oats
1-1/3 cup all purpose flour + 1 cup more for dredging
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cold or frozen butter, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

1) Heat your oven to 350° F. Cut a couple slits in the skin of the sweet potatoes and roast them on a pan until a fork slides easily into the flesh of the sweet potato. About 30-40 minutes. (Or microwave for about 5 minutes). Remove the sweet potato from the oven and let cool. Remove the skin and puree the flesh of the sweet potato until smooth.

2) Add the dry ingredients to a food processor and run until the oats are broken down into a coarse flour. Add the chopped butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the butter is cut into pea-sized chunks.

3) Bring your oven back to 350° F. In a medium bowl, fold together the flour mixture, 1 cup pureed sweet potato, sour cream, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

4) Drop rounded scoops into the extra 1 cup flour. Roll the scones in the flour to coat and then set 2 inches apart on a foil or parchment lined ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the scones are turning golden. Remove to a cooling rack promptly.