Baked Purple Potato and Sour Cream Creamsicles

Ever since I started this blog seven months ago, I have been too timid to participate in any blogging event. So when I found out DoggyBloggy at Chez What? would be hosting this week's BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient), I decided -- me no hermit no more. (My decisions are often grammatically incorrect.)

It's a good thing that I have some purple potatoes lying around since this week's secret ingredient is potato. There's something about purple potatoes that reminds me of taro or ube even though these things are very different from one another. And as I pondered what to do with these potatoes, first thing that came to mind was, oddly enough, ice cream. It may sound weird, if not repulsive, to many. But for those, such as I, who grew up eating taro or ube ice cream (or red bean ice cream, black bean ice cream, etc.), potato is just another starchy root vegetable which can be turned into ice cream just as easily.


The texture of red bean or taro creamsicles which I grew up eating is more on the icy side than creamy and I like them just fine that way. Today, though, I felt like something with a smoother and creamier mouthfeel. Alas, the only way to achieve that is through a custard base.

Now, for people who are not lazy, the idea of whipping up a batch of crème anglaise -- the standard ice cream base -- probably wouldn't bother them so much. However, since I'm not one of those people, I chose an easier route which allows me to get away with a cheater's crème anglaise without sacrificing the creaminess. Keep in mind that this works only for creamsicles not scoopable ice cream since the former is much more forgiving than the latter when it comes to texture.


The flavor of these creamsicles mimics the classic trio: baked potatoes, butter, and sour cream. The "green" smell of the potatoes is almost nonexistent after they have been baked, and whatever is left is camouflaged by the vanilla extract. The starchiness of the potatoes creates the oomph. The sugar is there, of course, to make it clear to all involved that this is dessert. The sour cream provides the tang that balances out the sweetness of the sugar. The egg yolks and the milk provide the creaminess. And the deep dark purple hue of the potatoes turns into the beautiful lavender color of the finished products. While not all ice cream experiments have ended well, this one had a happy ending. If you like taro, red bean, black bean, or ube ice creams, chances are you will like this. If not, try it at your own risk.

To make eight 4-ounce creamsicles, I washed one pound of purple potatoes very well and baked them until fork tender. Once the potatoes have cooled, the skins got peeled off and the pulp puréed in a blender along with 3 egg yolks (use organic or pasteurized eggs if that gives you peace of mind), 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup sour cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. (Be sure to process the potato mixture as minimally as possible in order to get a fine purée. Overprocessing causes the cooked potatoes to turn slimy.) I then poured the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze it until frozen solid, approximately 3-4 hours.

(Note added 7-5-09: Visit this page to see the roundup of all potato entries and the winner announcement. My thanks to the host and all participants who have made this so much fun.)

(Added 7-9-09: I have also entered this post to the Ice Cream Social, hosted by Scotty Snacks, Tangled Noodle, and Savor The Thyme. The event is to celebrate the third Sunday of July which is the National Ice Cream day. If you would like to enter, please visit any of the three websites mentioned above for contest rules and information.)

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