An old Lima convent sweet built around silky sweet potato. Dense, smooth, and deeply sweet, it brings cinnamon, clove, egg yolks, and sweet wine together in the glossy richness that makes historic Peruvian desserts linger in memory.
Peel the sweet potato and cut it into large, even pieces. Place it in the pot with the water and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides all the way through the center without resistance. Drain thoroughly and pass it through a potato ricer while still hot, aiming for a smooth mash with no firm pieces.
Return the mash to the pot and add the evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sweet wine in a bowl. Take the pot briefly off the heat, stir a spoonful of the hot sweet potato mixture into the yolks, then slowly stream them back into the pot while stirring constantly. Return to low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bienmesabe is very hot, silky, and thick again and the first slow bubbles appear, without letting it boil aggressively. Turn off the heat, mix in the vanilla, spoon into dessert dishes, and finish with the sesame seeds. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. And that's it! If it is glossy, dense, and sits generously on the spoon, you found the proper point of this old Lima sweet 😌
