“Yaki-imo” or “roasted sweet potato” is the spotlight seasonal good every autumn in Japan. Here are the top 5 treats released as of 2024!
1. Sweet Potato & Cream Sandwich
Sweet sandwiches are no stranger to Japanese convenience stores. You’ll often find fruit and cream sandwich options alongside the savory ones. Strange as they may seem, they’re actually quite appetizing and a bit of a delicacy!
This autumn of 2024, FamilyMart released the “Sweet Potato Paste & Whipped Cream” sandwich as part of the yaki-imo series of seasonal goods. A paste whose texture I can only describe as “potato-ey,” this was a well-rounded sandwich that, despite its rather thick and dry sweet potato filling, was fairly moist thanks to the whipped cream and soft white bread.
2. Sweet Potato Steamed Bread
Next up is perhaps my favorite roasted sweet potato item on this list. What appears to be some sort of muffin is in fact a “sweet potato steamed bread,” or at least that’s what the translation app indicates.
These little sweet potato muffins were quite delightful, a rather sticky texture that reminded me of coconut rough or the inside of a Bounty chocolate. The flavor was fairly light and not too sweet, similar to a banana bread of sorts but packing in that much-loved yaki-imo aroma!
3. Sweet Potato Danish
I lied, this is by far the best sweet potato treat on the list! A sweet potato Danish that offers a marvelous crunchy bite that combines with a soft golden paste for a brilliant interplay of textures.
The filling was sweet, but the crusts were light, resulting in a grounded yet daring taste that was reminiscent of an apple pie (or in this case, a sweet potato pie?). It truly is amazing what one can do with the sweet potato ingredient. Props to Japan!
4. Sweet Potato Brulé Cookies
A classic from famous Japanese cookie brand “Country Ma’am,” this new sweet potato flavor hits the spot! Made using sweet potato cookie dough and choc-chip filling, it’s quite soft and scrumptious to bite into.
Unlike some of the previous items, these cookies have a more potent sweet potato flavor that really penetrates the senses. Individually wrapped to ensure maximum freshness, each cookie will tempt you to open another!
5. Sweet Potato Milk Tea
Naturally, you’ll want to wash it all down with a beverage, so why not continue the festivities with a hearty cup of sweet potato milk tea? As a mogu-mogu or “to chew” drink, it comes with real pieces of grounded sweet potato that you can enjoy. Kind of like a boba!
The taste of the drink itself is truly refreshing. A mixture of milk tea and sweet potato creates an aromatic drink that is deliciously soothing, and the chewable sweet potato bits add an element of nutrition too!
So there you have it. No two years are the same here in Japan. And while the 2023 autumn yaki-imo range had its own charm, the new range for 2024 is looking promising!
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