Pueblan sweet potatoes: the traditional sweet of Puebla

What is it?

The sweet potato sweet, known in its most emblematic form as 'Santa Clara sweet potatoes' or simply 'Pueblan sweet potatoes', is a traditional convent sweet made with sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) cooked, peeled, pureed and mixed with sugar, then cooked again until it thickens and forms a paste that is shaped into thin cylindrical rolls. These rolls are wrapped individually in coloured cellophane paper that indicates their flavour: strawberry (pink), pineapple (yellow), orange (orange), walnut (brown), vanilla (white) or lime (light green). It has a soft and firm texture, similar to fudge or nougat, with a deep sweet potato flavour enriched with the aroma of the added flavour. It is one of the most representative convent sweets of Puebla, where New Spanish baroque confectionery reached its highest splendour between the 17th and 19th centuries. It is sold in the historic sweet shops of the Calle de los Dulces in Puebla, and is an identity product and an essential tourist souvenir of the state.

Origin and history

The sweet potato sweet is one of the great legacies of Pueblan convent confectionery. Its origin dates back to the convents of Santa Clara, Santa Monica and Santa Ines in Puebla during the 17th and 18th centuries, when sweet-making nuns developed an extraordinarily sophisticated pastry tradition that combined pre-Hispanic ingredients (sweet potato, cacao, vanilla) with European techniques (caramelisation, crystallisation, infusions). The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is native to Central and South America, cultivated since pre-Hispanic times by Mesoamerican peoples. Sahagun documents its consumption among the Nahuas. The sweet-making adaptation that turned it into convent pastry is a New Spanish invention. Larousse Cocina identifies Pueblan sweet potatoes as one of the most characteristic and oldest convent sweets in the Mexican repertoire. Legend attributes the recipe to Sor Andrea de la Asuncion of the convent of Santa Clara in the 18th century. After the secularisation of nuns in the 19th century due to the Reform Laws, the recipes passed to lay families who took over the sweet shops. The most renowned historic brands are 'Dulces Tipicos Poblanos La Gran Via' and 'Dulceria de Santa Clara', more than a century old.

Characteristic ingredients

Sweet potato is the essential ingredient; the white or yellow-fleshed varieties are preferred for their more neutral flavour that better accommodates the added flavours, although purple sweet potato is also used for variants with its natural colour. Refined sugar is the traditional sweetener. Natural essences or pulps provide the flavours: strawberry pulp, orange juice and zest, pineapple juice, natural vanilla essence, lime juice and zest, ground walnut or grated coconut. Some premium variants contain liqueurs or spirits for an adult profile. The classic preparation consists of cooking the sweet potatoes until soft, peeling them, pureeing them (preferably passing through a sieve for a silky texture) and cooking with sugar over low heat for one to two hours until obtaining a dense paste that comes away from the bottom of the pan. At this point the basic mass is divided into parts and a different flavour is incorporated into each. Each flavoured paste is partially cooled and shaped into thin cylindrical rolls (1.5 to 2 cm in diameter by 8 to 10 cm long). These are wrapped individually in colour-coded cellophane paper and tied at the ends. The usual proportion is one kilo of cooked sweet potato to 800 grams of sugar, yielding approximately forty individual sweet potatoes.

Cultural significance

The sweet potato sweet is one of the most identifying products of Puebla and of Mexican New Spanish sweet-making heritage. Traditional Mexican cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010, includes convent sweets as representative expressions of the colonial culinary mestizaje. The Calle de los Dulces (6 Oriente) in Puebla, declared Cultural Heritage of the Municipality, concentrates the historic sweet shops that keep this tradition alive and is a must-visit destination of the state's gastronomic tourism. The city of Puebla was declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity site in 1987 for its exceptional baroque heritage; convent confectionery forms an inseparable part of this integral heritage. The sweet potato sweet industry sustains cooperatives and family sweet shops in the historic centre of Puebla, generating employment and preserving centuries-old convent techniques. Some sweet shops such as 'La Gran Via' or 'Dulces de Santa Clara' have maintained the same family recipe for four or five generations. The sweet potato sweet is also an exported product, finding markets especially among the Mexican diaspora in the United States. Puebla's major festivities, such as the Patronal Feast and the celebration of the 5th of May, reinforce the consumption and dissemination of this sweet-making tradition.

Frequently asked questions

What does sweet potato sweet taste like?

It tastes deeply of the added flavour (strawberry, pineapple, orange, vanilla, lime, walnut or coconut) with a soft sweet potato background that provides creaminess without taking centre stage. The texture is firm but soft, similar to fudge or soft nougat, melting slightly in the mouth as the sugar dissolves. Each flavour is clearly distinguishable. It is intensely sweet, characteristic of Pueblan baroque convent confectionery, intended to accompany coffee or as a pudding after traditional meals.

What are the traditional varieties?

The classics are: strawberry (wrapped in pink cellophane), pineapple (yellow), orange (orange), vanilla (white), walnut (brown), lime (light green) and coconut. Premium variants include wine-infused sweet potato (with sherry or brandy), cajeta sweet potato (with Celaya cajeta), raisin sweet potato and almond sweet potato. The colour of the wrapping cellophane identifies the flavour without the need for a label, a visual system inherited from the historic Pueblan convent sweet shops.

Where do Pueblan sweet potatoes come from?

They originate from the colonial convents of Puebla, especially those of Santa Clara, Santa Monica and Santa Ines, during the 17th and 18th centuries. Legend attributes the original recipe to Sor Andrea de la Asuncion of the Convent of Santa Clara in the 18th century. Calle de los Dulces (6 Oriente) in the historic centre of Puebla, declared Cultural Heritage of the Municipality, is the traditional heart of their production and sale to this day, with century-old sweet shops.

How is sweet potato sweet stored?

Pueblan sweet potatoes keep for up to two months in an airtight container at room temperature, thanks to their high sugar content which acts as a natural preservative. The individual cellophane wrapping protects against moisture and prevents them from sticking together. They do not require refrigeration. They are an especially suitable product as a tourist souvenir because of their portable and transport-resistant nature. Sweet shops present them in traditional decorated boxes with Pueblan baroque motifs, ideal as gifts.