Sweet Potato and Pineapple Candy (Dulce de Camote)
Sweet potato paste with pineapple, cinnamon and sugar, the classic sweet from Puebla moulded into rolls or figures.
About this recipe
Dulce de camote con piña is one of the most beloved traditional sweets from the city of Puebla: purple or orange sweet potato cooked and mixed with sugar, fresh pineapple and spices, resulting in a dense, glossy, deeply sweet paste that is moulded into rolls or figures. It is the sweet that tourists bring back as a souvenir from Puebla, sold at stalls in the historic centre. Simpler to make at home than it appears, it is also a traditional Day of the Dead offering.
History & Origin
Puebla is the undisputed capital of Mexican artisan sweets, with a confectionery tradition dating to the 16th century when nuns in Pueblan convents began fusing Spanish confectionery techniques with native Mesoamerican ingredients. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a pre-Hispanic crop native to Mexico and Central America, was already a staple food of indigenous peoples long before the conquest. When combined with the cane sugar brought by the Spanish and pineapple (also native to the Americas), the convents created one of the most characteristic confections of colonial pastry-making: dulce de camote, in its versions of sugar-coated rolls, moulded coloured figures and spreading pastes. Today, dulce de camote is the best-selling product in the sweet shops of Calle de los Dulces in Puebla and one of Mexico's most representative gastronomic souvenirs.
Estimated cost
£4.00
Total cost
£0.40
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
180
Calories
2g
Protein
44g
Carbohydrates
0.5g
Fat
3g
Fibre
30mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Peel and cut the sweet potato into large cubes. Cook in salted water for 20–25 minutes until very tender when pierced with a fork. Drain completely and mash with a potato masher or pass through a food mill until smooth.
💡 Purple sweet potato gives the sweet a beautiful violet colour; orange gives a sweeter, milder flavour.
- 2
In a heavy-based saucepan, mix the sweet potato purée with 250 g of sugar and the very finely chopped (or blended) pineapple. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 20–25 minutes until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and has a thick paste consistency.
💡 Do not stop stirring or it will stick and burn on the bottom; use a wooden spoon.
- 3
Add the ground cinnamon and lime juice. Mix well and remove from the heat. Leave to cool for 10 minutes until you can handle it without burning yourself.
💡 The lime juice balances the sweetness and gives a fresh note to the sweet.
- 4
Spread the paste on greaseproof paper or cling film and shape into a roll by pressing with your hands. Wrap in the paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into slices and serve dusted with icing sugar or cinnamon.
💡 You can tint portions with food colouring to make rolls in different colours, just like the traditional Puebla sweets.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 736+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for European kitchens. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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