Atropellado Rápido de Camote y Coco
(ah-tro-peh-YAH-doh deh kah-MOH-teh ee KOH-koh)
Late-Night Plaza Sweets: Dulces y Sobremesa
If you've ever wandered the humid evening air of Mérida's Plaza Grande, you know the intoxicating aroma of the sweets carts. Between the sizzling marquesitas lies atropellado—a humble, intensely comforting paste born of indigenous sweet potatoes and coastal coconut, violently mashed into sweet surrender. In the homeland, making this is an afternoon-long affair of boiling whole potatoes and scraping fresh coconut shells, but grandmas are practical women. This weeknight adaptation cuts the time by a fraction without losing an ounce of soul. It trades heavy labor for accessible pantry staples while delivering the exact same sticky, floral sweetness that demands to be eaten with a tiny spoon alongside black coffee.
Before you start
Tenderize the coconut.
In a small bowl, combine the shredded coconut and the coconut milk, letting it sit to restore the chewy, rich texture of fresh grated coconut without the hassle of cracking a shell.
Ingredients
- white-fleshed or purple sweet potatoes1 1/2 lb
- cinnamon stick1 med
- unsweetened shredded coconut1 cup
- coconut milk1/3 cup
- granulated white sugar1/2 cup
- kosher salt1 pinch
- ground cinnamon1 pinch
Method
- 01
Boil the sweet potatoes until perfectly tender.
Place the cubed sweet potatoes and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan, add just enough water to barely cover, and boil covered over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes until effortlessly pierced with a fork.
- 02
Drain and aggressively mash the sweet potatoes.
Discard the water, leaving the cinnamon stick in the pot for now. Return the potatoes to the warm pot and mash them violently with a potato masher until no large lumps remain.
- 03
Reduce the paste over medium-low heat.
Remove the cinnamon stick, turn the heat to medium-low, and fold in the rehydrated coconut, sugar, and salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, turns glossy, and pulls away cleanly from the bottom and sides of the pot.
- 04
Chill slightly and serve with a dusting of cinnamon.
Transfer to a serving bowl or individual ramekins, dust lightly with ground cinnamon, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Use the right sweet potato.
Seek out white-fleshed (boniato) or purple sweet potatoes at your local Latin or Asian market; they possess a denser, starchier texture and a more floral sweetness than the watery orange ones found at standard American supermarkets.
Form into bites for later.
If you want to impress the kids, let the paste cool completely in the fridge, then roll it between your palms to form bite-sized bolitas de coco y camote.